position. In conjunction with the other troops, we pursued and continued fighting him until night, when he retreated across Bayou Pierre, destroying the bridges.

My loss in that action, of which I have already furnished a more minute report, was 42 killed and 222 wounded; total, 264. *

The next day we marched into Port Gibson.

The next day, May 3, we were sent to the railroad crossing of Bayou

Pierre, 3 miles, and subsequently were ordered forward on the road to Willow Springs, 11 miles distant.

On the 7th, at 3 a. m., we marched on the road to Cayuga, halting at Big Sandy, 14 miles distant.

On the 12th, we marched by way Cayuga to Fourteen-Mile Creek, 12 miles.

The next day we marched to near Raymond, 11 miles.

The next day we marched past Raymond and Mississippi Sprigs to Forest Hill Church, 6 miles from Jackson. This was our hardest march. In rained all day, the roads were very bad, and part of the DIVISION failed in getting into camp. The distance was about 12 miles.

The next day, May 16, was the day of the battle of Champion's Hill. My DIVISION was in reserve. The Thirty-THIRD Illinois was moved forward to support one of General Osterhaus' brigades, and lost

1 killed and 2 wounded. The SECOND Brigade was moved forward on the left, and did good execution. After the battle was over, we moved forward in pursuit of the enemy, and pushed on as far as Edwards Station, which we reached about 8 o'clock.

During the pursuit many prisoners were taken, who were simply ordered back to the rear. I made it a rule, whenever I was in front, to dispose of prisoners in that way, thus saving my own men for more important duties, and being satisfied that some one in the rear would pick up and secure the prisoners.

At Edwards Station my men exposed themselves freely in saving some car-loads of provisions and ammunition attached to a train which the enemy had set on fire.

On the morning of the 17th, we moved forward at 5 o'clock on the road to Black River Bridge, 12 miles distant, the First Brigade leading, with a part of the Thirty-THIRD Illinois as skirmishers and advance guard. We drove in the enemy's pickets from time to time, and captured some prisoners, which were disposed of as before.

Upon nearing Black River Bridge, where we found the enemy in force, the First Brigade was formed in line across the road, with skirmishers in front and the battery in the center, subsequently re-enforced by the Chicago Mercantile Battery.

The SECOND Brigade was moved up on the right, with directions to press close on the enemy and charge him if there was a good opportunity. It was supported by two regiments and two 20-pounder Parrotts from Osterhaus' DIVISION.

The enemy's position was found to consist of a line of breastworks over a mile in length, resting on the Black River at each extremity, and with a natural ditch or slough in front 5 or 6 feet deep and miry at the bottom. Most of the artillery was posted on the right, where the ground was open for a considerable distance in his front.

Brigadier General M. K. Lawler, after pressing well up on his left, and firing

---------------

*But see revised statement, p. 584

---------------