Regiments of Iowa Infantry. Early in the morning of the 22nd Company F had been detailed, by orders from Colonel Hall, commanding brigade, as pickets, and as soon as skirmishing commenced on the picket-line five more companies were detached, by orders from brigade headquarters, two of whom were deployed on the right of the Eleventh Iowa Infantry, two on the left of the Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, and one on the left of the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, respectively, supporting the flanks of hose regiments, leaving but four companies under my command when the battle commenced. Immediately after the commencement of the battle and after it had become apparent that the enemy were approaching in heavy force in front and on each flank, I received orders to move my command to the near and form in line on the west side of the works occupied by the First Brigade, fronting east, from which direction the enemy were then approaching. This movement was made and position occupied in good order, but had just been completed when I was ordered to form in line facing to the south, with my left resting on the rifle-pits, to repel the enemy approaching from the south. This movement was also made, but scarcely had been completed when the enemy attacked us in front and in heavy force on either flank. Observing that they were getting into the rear and flank of the Fifteenth Iowa, which was on my right, and that that regiment was falling back, leaving my whole line exposed to a front, rear, and enfilading fire, I ordered the command to retire by the left flank across the works, and to form on the north side, fronting west, to repel the anticipated assault of the enemy from that quarter. This movement was effected in comparative good order, but owing to the numerous detachments, independent commands, and stragglers which at that time thronged the road, my regiment was for a short time in some confusion, but order was soon restored and we formed as directed, but not too soon, as the enemy were then within rifle-range and approaching our position from two directions in heavy force, when a well-directed fire from the Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fifteenth Iowa routed them in confusion, and for the time being drove them from that part of the field. No sooner, however, had this been accomplished, than the enemy were discovered approaching us from the rear in force, when the command was ordered to take position on the west side of the rifle-pits, face by the rear rank, and repel the enemy attacking from the east. This position was soon occupied and the enemy came on with shout and cheer, and a fierce and desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued. In a few moments the enemy were driven from the ground and fled in disorder. Their withdrawal from the front was but the signal for a renewed attack from the rear, when the command again crossed the rifle-pits, about-faced, and contributed materially in repulsing the enemy for the third time. Thus the contest continued until the enemy brought to bear on us at short range a battery, raking our whole line with grape and canister with terrible effect, when we received orders to take up the position occupied by us on the 21st, where we have since remained.

The two companies (A and G) detached in the beginning of the contest and posted on the right of the Eleventh Iowa, and the two companies (D and K) detached at the same time and posted on the left of the Sixteenth Iowa, have failed to report, and I regret to say, that from all the information I have been enabled to obtain in regard to them, I am reluctantly led to the conclusion that about three-fourths of the men composing those companies were, whilst supporting