right, while the Seventeenth kept straight forward and came to a muddy ravine, grown up thick with brush, which was very difficult to cross; the regiment was crossed and formed as rapidly as possible; moved to the right and front and formed line on the left of the Sixtieth Illinois, and moved rapidly up the hill to the woods, from which the enemy was firing. Arriving near the woods the regiment moved to the left and then forward into the woods. I have since been informed that Colonel Grower made this movement by direction of Colonel Este, commanding the Third Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, for the purpose of supporting that brigade. Here the regiment came under very heavy fire, to which the right wing replied sharply. I discovered that some of our troops were in front of the left wing, and ordered the firing to cease in that wing. The men stood their ground well, but fell rapidly. Colonel Grower soon fell mortally wounded, and I took command of the regiment. Colonel Grower ordered me to find whether I was supported on my right or left, and, if not, to fall back and reform the regiment. Finding nothing on my right or left I moved the regiment back to the edge of the woods and reformed it; reported to the acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, who was near by, for orders. He said he had no orders for me, and could not tell me the position of the rest of the brigade, but advised me to hold my old position in the woods. I found the Tenth Michigan in the edge of the woods a short distance on my right; moved forward and formed on the left of it. Here Lieutenant McAllister, aide-de-camp, came and ordered me to move forward and form on the left of the Sixtieth Illinois, which was some distance in the woods. I told him I feared I should not be able to find the Sixtieth without some one to direct me; said he could send no one. I moved forward in the direction he indicated, and soon came upon the Third Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. Colonel Este, commanding this brigade, told me he could not tell me where Colonel Lum's brigade was, but was sure they were not in his front, and he did not think I could find it. Said he was hard pressed and wished me to assist him; that he had a vacant place on his left and was much exposed. I accordingly formed my regiment on the left of his brigade. After holding this position for a while a colonel (I think Colonel Moore), commanding a brigade on my left in the First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, came to me and said the enemy was turning his left flank, and that his brigade must fall back if I did not help him, and urged me to move forward. Advancing my right considerably, so as to have an enfilading fire upon the enemy in hi front, I moved forward as he directed, fired a volley, which was not replied to, and finding that there was no enemy in my front I moved back to the position which I had left. Here Lieutenant McAllister came and ordered me to move to join the Sixtieth Illinois, and directed me to that position. By his direction I had a rifle-pit thrown up in front of my line, and the regiment rested for the night. Many prisoners came in through my line, and I sent a guard to take charge of them. I passed over hundreds of muskets, but would not allow my men to stop to pick them up. All my officers and men obeyed orders promptly and fought well.

My losses were heavy, as the accompanying list* of casualties shows. Colonel Grower died of his wounds on the 3rd instant. In him

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*Omitted.

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