motion, and on the double-quick arrived on the line of battle, and forming in good order, under a heavy fire from the enemy, advanced with a cheer to the relief of the almost exhausted soldiers of the Fifteenth Corps, who had bravely held their position from the beginning of the assault, against great odds, and whose guns having become heated to such an extent by frequent and rapid firing as to render the majority of them temporarily useless, had fixed bayonets and were waiting with unyielding determination the expected advance of the enemy, who occupied an advantageous position on the crest of a hill 150 yards in our front. Simultaneously with my arrival on the line of defense, my command poured a destructive fire into the enemy's lines, which soon drove the greater portion of them beyond the crest of the hill and out of the reach of our guns. Some, however, remained concealed in the skirmish pits, and being supported by a battery of artillery in their rear, kept up a continued fire on our lines, but without serious result to the command during the balance of the time the action continued-which ended by the enemy precipitately retiring at 5 p. m. from our front, leaving the most of his dead and many wounded on the ground in our hands. This command, by a vigorous and well-directed fire, kept the whole of our front to the crest of the hill clear of the enemy, defeating several attempts by him to form in our front, and compelling him finally to remove his artillery entirely beyond the reach of our rifles, and out of the effective range of our line, when the action ceased.

During the conflict, which raged unabatedly for three hours, my command was partially protected by some logs and rails thrown together by the Ninety-seventh and Ninety-ninth Indiana Regiments, which I relieved, and in consequence of which, and of the wild firing of the enemy, who were on a considerable elevation in our front, and whose range was generally over our head, our casualties were but few, being but 2 killed and 6 wounded in the whole command.

The command remained in this position, occupying the same line during the night of the 28th and until the afternoon of the 29th, when it was relieved from further duty at that point by General Harrow, and at once reported to the proper division commander, Brigadier General G. A. Smith.

To the officers and men of the command the highest meed of praise should be awarded for their coolness, bravery, and courage during the action. When all did well it is impossible to discriminate without being unjust, but I must be pardoned for mentioning the names of Captain J. C. Kennedy and Captain John Archer, as having on that and all other occasions of a similar character exhibited the very highest qualities of soldiers and officers-cool, courageous, and daring. They always impart confidence by their bearing and their bravery in the hour of danger. In this action the colors of the Thirteenth Iowa were repeatedly perforated by the enemy's balls, and in many places bear honorable evidence that they had never been lowered even under the severest fire.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN SHANE,

Colonel, Commanding Third and Thirteenth Regts. Iowa Infantry

In the action of the 28th of July, 1864.

Captain C. CADLE, Jr.,

Asst. Adjt. General, Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.