heavy discharges of grape from the enemy. In the latter part of the action he carried my orders and aided in the formations and movements.

The staff officers of Colonel Leasure were Lieutenant S. G. Leasure, One hundredth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, acting assistant adjutant-general.

The staff officers of Colonel Fenton were Lieutenant L. C. Brackett, Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Volunteers, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant H. G. Belcher, Eighth Michigan Volunteers, aide-de-camp; Lieutenant Joseph B. Fenton, Eighth Michigan Volunteers, aide-de-camp.

Lieutenant Belcher, though early and severely wounded, continued actively on duty throughout the action, and was the last man to leave the field.

Captain A. P. Rockwell, of the Connecticut battery, deserves particular mention for his gallant bearing and skillful handling of his guns on that field. He senior lieutenant, S. E. Porter, was remarkable for his energy, daring, and persistency throughout.

Captain Sears, following with his engineer company the storming party, did most excellent service; first at the advanced hedge, under circumstances of great exposure, preparing embrasures for Rockwell's battery, and afterwards at the road, removing obstructions therefrom, and arranging the openings in the hedge both fa infantry and artillery. There was no opportunity for cavalry movements proper, but the orderlies furnished from Captain Sargent's company did most gallant service, and the remainder of his company served effectively as vedettes and pickets. Two men of his company were severely wounded and two horses were killed. The firing from the batteries at the point by Company I, Third rhode Island Volunteers, Captain Charles G. Strahan commanding, was commenced immediately after the unsuccessful charge of our troops had been made upon the works of the enemy. Although having every gun but one disabled very soon after the commencement of the action the firing was conducted with great precision and regularity, nearly every shot taking effect in the fort or the woods in the rear of the work where the large force of the enemy were lying. The single gun was worked with as much rapidity as possible during the entire engagement, in the course of which 1 sergeant was killed. The gunboats Ellen and Hale came into action at a later hour, but by their excellent range, obtained by the assistance of Signal Officer Howard, who had been upon the Ellen for several successive days, did very great execution among the ranks of the enemy. Although the gunboats did not advance up the river as far as could have been desired in order to give a more effective flanking fire upon the fort, still much credit is due them for the precision with which their fire was directed at such long range.

The whole force which went into action was as follows:

First Brigade, Colonel Fenton commanding: Eighth Michigan, 4 field officers, 21 officers, 509 men; total, 534. Seventh Connecticut, 7 field officers, 18 officer, 573 men; total, 598. Twenty-eighth Massachusetts, 6 filed officers, 18 officers, 520 men; total, 544. Two companies of the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts were on fatigue duty and did not join their regiment.

Second Brigade, Colonel Leasure commanding: Seventy-ninth highlanders, 3 field officers, 21 officers, 18 offices, 400 men (including 130 our of 300, who were on picket duty, which 130 joined the advance under the