but it did not come up until after night-fall.) The First Brigade had suffered very severely in the assault. This fact, connected with the expenditure of its ammunition, induced me to order this brigade to be relived by the Third Brigade, Colonel Knefler, Seventy-ninth Indiana, commanding. Colonel Knefler was simply ordered to relieve the First Brigade, and hold the ground, without renewing the assault. The purpose of holding the ground was to cover bringing off the dead and wounded. Colonel Knefler's brigade at once engaged the enemy sharply and confined him to his works. Meanwhile every effort was being made to bring off the dead and wounded. This was a work of much difficulty. The ground was unfavorable for the use of the stretchers, darkness was coming on apace, and the whole had to be done under the fire of the enemy. Of course, under such circumstances, the work could not be done with that completeness so desirable, and the subsequent evacuation of the enemy showed, from the numerous, extensive places of sepulture outside of his line, that many who were at first reported missing were killed in the terrific assaults. (It is proper to remark that when the Second Brigade was relived by the First Brigade, a portion of the former retained their position near the enemy's works. So also when the First Brigade was relived by the Third Brigade a portion of the former held on near to the enemy's works.) These gallant officers and soldiers remained on the field, bravely keeping up the conflict, till the Third Brigade was drawn off at 10 p. m. About 10 p. m. the enemy, rushing over his works, pressed forward rapidly with demoniac yells and shouts on Colonel Knefler's brigade. In the long conflict which the brigade had kept up it had expended its ammunition to within the last two or three rounds. Reserving its fire till the advancing foe was only some fifteen paces distant, the brigade poured in a terrible and destructive volley, and was then handsomely and skillfully withdrawn, with the portions of the other brigades that had remained on the field, by its gallant and most sensible commander. The enemy was brought to a dead halt by the last volley. Not the slightest pursuit was attempted. Thus ended this bloody conflict. It was opened precisely at 4.30 p. m. and raged in the light of its fury till 7 p. m. From this hour till 10 p. m. From this hour till 10 p. m. the conflict was still kept up, but not with the unabated fury and severity of the first two and a half hours of its duration. Fourteen hundred and fifty-seven officers and men were placed hors de combat in the action. It may be truly said of it that it was the best sustained and altogether the fiercest and most vigorous assault that was made on the enemy's intrenched positions during the entire campaign. The attack was made under circumstances well calculated to task the courage and prove the manhood of the troops. They had made a long and fatiguing march of several hours' duration on that day immediately preceding the attack. The assault was made without any assistance or cover whatever from our artillery, as not a single piece could be carried with us a strongly intrenched position held by veteran troops, and defended by a heavy fire of musketry and artillery. Yet, at the command, the troops, under all these adverse circumstances, moved to the assault with a cheerful manliness and steadiness; more, warming up with the advance, moved with a gallantry and dash that nearly made the effort a complete success. After the troops had all been drawn off, and between 10 o'clock in the evening and 2 o'clock of the following morning the entire division was comfortably encamped, and by daylight securely intrenched. This pre-