was handed me. Upon it and the opinion of these officers I ordered the infantry back to bivouac for the night. A heavy picket was kept well to the front to observe any movement of the enemy, and at 4 a. m. General Carroll and myself went to the outer vedettes, who reported that there had been no movement of the enemy across the bridge during the night. Their pickets only appearing, which we were able to discover ourselves, we returned to camp.

A few moments after your order of June 8, 7.15 p. m., from Columbia Bridge, reached me, and while writing a reply, was informed that the enemy were advancing upon us, or rather into the woods opposite their position, evidently with a view of outflanking us upon the left. Captains Clark and Robinson opened their batteries upon them with effect. Captain Huntington's guns were soon doing the same good work. Two companies of skirmishers and two regiments of infantry were ordered into the woods to counteract this movement of the enemy. The fire of our skirmishers was soon heard, and I ordered two more regiments to their support. A sharp fire was kept up in the woods for a few moments only, when the enemy retired, and was seen coming out of the woods, crossing to join a column moving upon our right.

In the mean time a section of two guns had opened upon our battery on the left and another section was taking position on our right. The Seventh Indiana Infantry, Colonel Gavin, was sent to the extreme right, and was met by two rebel regiments under cover of the river bank. A section of Captain Clark's battery took a position well to the right. The fire of the enemy from their masked position compelled Colonel Gavin to retire a short distance, which he did in admirable order. The Twenty-ninth Ohio was sent to support him, moving forward in splendid style on double-quick. The Seventh Ohio was next sent forward to support Captain Clark's guns; the Fifth Ohio next, to support a section of Captain Huntington's battery. These two last-named regiments moved forward and engaged the enemy in a style that commanded the admiration of every beholder. Regiment after regiment of the enemy moved upon the right, and the engagement became very warm. The First Virginia, Colonel Thoburn, who had been ordered into the woods on the left, was now ordered down to the right, entering the open field with a loud shout.

My entire force was now in position. On our right was the Seventh Indiana, Colonel Gavin; Twenty-ninth Ohio, Colonel Buckley; Seventh Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Creighton; Fifth Ohio, Colonel Dunning; First Virginia, Colonel Thoburn, with a section of Captains Clark's and Huntington's batteries. On our left, the key of the position, was a company of the Fifth and one of the Sixty-sixth Ohio Infantry, deployed through the woods as skirmishers; the Eighty-fourth and One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania Regiments also well up into the woods. The Sixty-sixth Ohio, Colonel Candy, was directly in the rear of the battery (composed of three guns of Captain Clark's battery, three guns of Captain Huntington's, and one of Captain Robinson's, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hayward), and upon him and his gallant band depended everything at this critical moment, and the duty was well and gallantly executed. Had they given way the command must have been lost. The left wing of Colonel Candy's regiment was extended into the woods and close in the rear of the battery, which position they held until a retreat was ordered.

Additional re-enforcements of the enemy were coming up on our right, and having abandoned their position on our left, I ordered the