at about 5 p. m., having marched 11 miles. Here we encamped for the night.

Wednesday, May 6.- Marched this morning at 6 o'clock down to the river, but were ordered to await and cross over last, the cavalry having arrived and occupied the boat during the day.

Thursday, May 7.- Waited all day for crossing.

Friday, May 8.- Waited all day for crossing.

Saturday, May 9.- The artillery commenced crossing.

At 10 o'clock on the evening of the 8th, Colonel Jacob sent out a scouting party of 100 men, under command of Captain W. D. Wiltsie, of my regiment, for the purpose of breaking up a band of guerrillas near the distillery of Alcorn's, of which number I furnished 60 men, with instructions to return to the regiment by 12 m. Saturday. For full particulars of the doings of this party, I refer to Captain Wiltsie's report, attached.

The same night I sent out Captain Barnes with his command about 2 miles to the farther end of the Narrows as a support to the scouting party, we already having two companies (A and D) on picket a this end of the Narrows.

At 3 p. m. of Saturday I had all my men over the river except those of the scouting party and the companies (A, C, and D) on picket duty. These companies were ordered to fall back to the river as soon as the party returned.

At 4 o'clock word came that our pickets were being attacked. I immediately communicated the same to Colonel Jacob, who had crossed the river. Also ordered a detachment of 100 men from my regiment to recross the river, which was quickly done. Major Cutcheon in the mean time went to the front to see to the men already there, taking the scattered forces of Grant, Allen, Dewey, and Carpenter, and placing them on a commanding position, on the top of a hill. Captain Barnes, with his men, advanced down the road about 2 miles on the first intimation of the attack, which was a great support to captain Allen and Carpenter, with each a few men, as they had been cut off from Captain Wiltsie and his party, but fighting their way back most manfully. Captain Barnes then returned to his original position, holding everything quiet for the night except a slight cavalry attack upon his pickets, which was easily repulsed with the assistance of such as had been sent to him from our own regiment and from the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry.

At about 8 a. m. the enemy vigorously attacked our pickets with dismounted cavalry, and, after a brisk resistance for fifteen minutes, drove them in upon the main line. I immediately brought forward Companies F, G, and I, which were in reserve, and established the line as follows: Company F was deployed as skirmishers along a wooded ravine on the right, to prevent that flank from being turned. Companies C and K were massed behind the crest of a small hill to the right of the main woods, while Companies A and D were massed in a similar manner behind a fence on the crest of a high hill to the left. These were to hold the road and prevent a cavalry dash. Companies B and E held the continuation of the fence to the left, and the extreme left was held by a battalion of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, dismounted. Companies I and G were in reserve at the foot of the hill, in rear of the center.

At about 4 p. m. one piece of Captain Sims' (Twenty-fourth Indiana) battery arrived upon the ground and took position on an eminence on the extreme left. Companies B, I, and G were ordered forward to support the gun. The gun immediately opened a rapid and well-directed fire upon the house, orchard, and woods, in which the rebels were massed. At the same time a charge was ordered along the whole

20 R R - VOL XXIII, PT I