Fourth Minnesota across the ravine, capturing 118 prisoners, and the FIFTY-NINTH Indiana into the ravine, bearing father to the left, and the enemy's line crossing the ravine diagonally at this point, capturing here the colors of the Forty-sixth Alabama Regiment (Sergt. John Ford, Company C, FIFTY-NINTH Indiana, captured them) and many prisoners. These regiments retained their positions on the right of our lines till the close of the engagement, about three hours.

By the time these two regiments had got into position on the right and left of the battery, I was ordered to take the order two of my command, the Forty-eighth Indiana and Eighteenth Wisconsin, about 100 rods to the east of the battery, and form there in the edge of the woods, in support of what seemed to be General Hovey's right.

The Forty-eighth Indiana Regiment immediately went into position under a most galling fire of musketry, and retained it for at least three hours, and long after the regiments on its right and left had given way, and then fell back by my order a short distance, to replenish ammunition, only after it was exhausted, but stood like a wall of adamant wherever it was placed till the close of the engagement.

The Eighteenth Wisconsin was moved from right to left and back two or three times, by order of the general commanding, as the attack was made more fiercely on either hand. The regiment moved with great promptness, and held every position firmly until removed by orders.

After this engagement ceased, I moved forward on the Vicksburg road about 3 miles, and bivouacked for the night.

My loss in the action of Champion's Hill is as follows:

Wounded.

Command. Enlisted men Officers. Enlisted

killed. men.

48th Indiana 3

-----

33

59th Indiana 1

-----

9

4th Minnesota

-----

1 1

18th Wisconsin 1 2 3

Total 5 3 46

On the morning of the 17th, I moved my command along the road toward the Big Black River, and halted at the river about noon, and soon after commenced the construction of a pontoon bridge with cotton bales and boards, which was completed the following morning, my brigade having been on fatigue duty all night constructing it.

On the morning of the 18th, my command, with the THIRD Brigade, crossed the river and moved forward toward Vicksburg. When about 3 miles WEST of the river, I was ordered to return to the east side of the Big Black and remain there, guarding all trains coming up and the bridge, until Colonel Holmes should come up from the battle-field with his brigade. I immediately returned and bivouacked my command on the same ground left in the morning, and remained there till the evening of the 19th, when Colonel Holmes and his command came up, and I again crossed the river and bivouacked about 2 miles WEST of it that night, and on the 20th came forward to the rear of Vicksburg, marching a distance of 17 miles with a most intense heat and suffocating dust all day.