preparatory to making the assault. At 4 p. m. the final attack was made. This battalion moved briskly forward through a thick woods, coming up with the skirmish line at the foot of a deep ravine, where it had been stopped by a rapid fire from the opposite hill, the sides of which were thickly covered with an almost impenetrable thicket and in many places were almost perpendicular. Here, stopping long enough to rectify the lines, I ordered them forward, the battalion gaining the hill, and had advanced a few yards from the crest to within about thirty paces of the enemy's works, when it was met with such a withering fire from the front and each flank that it was checked and compelled to find shelter behind the crest of the hill. So rapid and close was the fire, that seeing that it would by impracticable to make another effort to carry the works with the battalion, now much depleted, I ordered the battalion to cover themselves as well as possible and hold the position, expecting every moment to be re-enforced by the second line. It not making its appearance, I sent an officer to find it and to communicate to the general commanding the brigade my position. Still the line did not come, and not until I had held the position for nearly an hour did any re-enforcements come up to the position the battalion occupied, and the only the left of one of the lines of the First Brigade, which indifferently lapped the right wing of my battalion, reached me in strength so weak that a feeble effort to advance beyond my position was easily repulsed by the enemy. Not hearing from the general, I now dispatched another officers to him for orders, but he, as well as the officer I had previously sent, I learned afterward, failed to find any one in authority. A little before dark the Ninety-third Ohio and Companies I and B, of the One hundred and twenty-fourth, seeing the left give way, and supposing that the whole line had been ordered back, fell back with them, and reformed with the brigade which had been relieved and ordered to the rear. Not receiving any order myself, I maintained my present position with the rest of my battalion until 7.30 o'clock; when it becoming quite dark, and feeling apprehensive that should the enemy make an offensive movement, the position could not be held, I started myself to report the situation, but had just reached the rear when the rebels suddenly and in large force attacked the battalion, which, seeing that it would be impossible to maintain their position, fell back before them into the new line already established, where the battalion was collected and placed in position on the line, not being again engaged while the enemy occupied the position in our front, though constantly under fire, on account of the close proximity of the lines. This attack, though unsuccessful, was made by the battalion with spirit and marked bravery, and I venture to say no more honest or bold attempt to carry the enemy's works has occurred during the campaign. Every officer and enlisted man in this battalion, as far as my observation extended, behaved with great gallantry, and, if valor and heroism could have gained the point, would most assuredly have succeeded. At no time did the battalion become in the least disorganized, and had orders reached me at the same time the brigade received them to retire, the battalion could have withdrawn in order, bringing of all its wounded and dead; as it was, some were of necessity left on the field. In the operations of the day the Ninety-third sustained a loss of 11 enlisted men killed, 32 wounded, and 6 missing. One hundred and twenty-fourth, 1 officer killed, 3 mortally wounded, and 3 severely wounded, 14 enlisted men killed, 41 wounded, and 10 missing. The