tery, one for each regiment, and took up my line of march in accordance with orders, trusting to luck for tools and rations. Passing through a rebel camp we had the good luck to find five or six axes and as many picks, and with these we commenced the work of destruction, and before night we had completely destroyed several miles of the road. We encamped that night about 4 miles from Jackson, surrounding our camp with a chain of pickets. During the day I sent out a foraging party, who collected an abundance of cattle and sheep; but we had no bread. The next morning we renewed the work of destruction, proceeding toward Clinton, which point we reached a little afternoon, and awaited the arrival of the DIVISION, having totally destroyed about 6 miles of railroad by piling up the ties, laying the rails across, and burning them. At Clinton the regimental teams joined the brigade with ammunition and a very small supply of hard bread. We did not get into camp that night until some time after midnight, and were ordered to be ready to march at daylight.

We arrived in the vicinity of our present position on the afternoon of the 18th, the Ninety-THIRD Indiana, Colonel Thomas, being ordered to take a position on the direct road to Vicksburg, and hold it until relieved by the advance of General McPherson's corps. Colonel Thomas was relieved and joined the brigade during the night.

At 2 p. m. on the 19th, I was ordered forward to support General Blair in his charge upon the enemy's works. I advanced my brigade by the right flank, according to orders, the Seventy-SECOND Ohio leading, the other regiments following closely, as follows: Ninety-FIFTH Ohio, One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, Ninety-THIRD Indiana. I was directed by a staff officer of General Blair to the position I was to occupy, who directed to put three regiments on the right and one on the left of the road. I advanced with the head of my column along the road, under a severe fire of musketry from the enemy, to the position indicated. Just as the three leading regiments had got over to the right of the road, General Blair sent word that he wanted two regiments on the right and two on the left, which necessitated the crossing of the One hundred and fourteenth Illinois over to the left, under a heavy fire from the enemy. The movement was made by Colonel Judy in gallant style, with a loss of 1 man killed and 9 wounded, 2 mortally-since dead. The Seventy-SECOND Ohio had 1 man killed and 12 wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Crockett, commanding, being himself slightly wounded. The Ninety-FIFTH Ohio had 2 men wounded. The Ninety-THIRD Indiana, on this day, had 1 man killed and 5 wounded.

My brigade was in position as follows: The Seventy-SECOND Ohio along the ridge, left resting on the road; the Ninety-FIFTH Ohio in rear of the Seventy-SECOND; the One hundred and fourteenth Illinois along the ridge, right resting on the road; and the Ninety-THIRD Indiana along the ridge, on the left of the One hundred and fourteenth.

About dusk, General Blair's troops, in advance, retired, leaving no troops in the advance of my brigade. I immediately ordered pickets and guards to be thrown out to the front.

My brigade remained in this position, being the advance at this point, until the evening of the 21st, when my brigade was withdrawn, except the Ninety-THIRD Indiana, which did not withdraw until the morning of the 22nd.

From the evening of the 19th until the evening of the 21st, my brigade maintained this front line, keeping up a constant fire of sharpshooters during the day and throwing forward guards at night, and having several men killed and wounded.