trees and brush, except the public road, which winds its track in bizarre curves, and follows the hills and valleys, without permitting at any point an open view of more than 50 or 100 yards. This very broken terrain has, on the south side of the road, a general tendency to slope off, being about 1 mile wide. It terminates at a little creek. Passing over these stream, the land becomes smoother again, and opens on large fields, which extend all across from the creek to the road direct from Raymond to Edwards Station, on which General SMITH's DIVISION was marching. The space between the road occupied by me and the Bolton and Edwards Station road, on my right, on which General Hovey's DIVISION was advancing, is, from its described nature, utterly impracticable for any military movements, except in a dispersed and loosely connected line of skirmishers.

From General Hovey's DIVISION I was 1 mile off, while General SMITH's column was at least 4 miles separated from me to my left and to the rear. His progress was checked more vehemently than that of General Hovey's and my own.

To the First Brigade, general Garrard commanding, I gave the order to advance. Only one section of Lanphere's battery I took along with the brigade, as there was hardly any prospect for artillery to be used on the ground before us.

To prepare against any attack by the enemy on my flank, or his breaking out from any point which in this very difficult might have escaped my notice, I deployed the SECOND Brigade two sections of the Seventh Michigan Battery and the First Wisconsin Battery, on an open and commanding in the field which the advancing First Brigade was leaving behind.

The THIRD Illinois Calvary, commanded by Captain Campbell, led the way carefully, and, supported by the Seventh Kentucky, we advanced into the timber and against the enemy, who had again selected one of his favorite positions in the brush to give us battle. The ground now became so rough that I had to withdraw cavalry(THIRD Illinois), and after it in finding my connections with General SMITH on my left, and in watching the enemy's movements toward that flank of my position. I have derived a great deal of good from the captain's zeal.

The Seventh Kentucky, with the Forty-NINTH Indiana Infantry and one section of Lanphere's battery, formed the advance, and, driving the enemy's skirmishers from one ravine to another, the advanced slowly against his main position, about 1 mile beyond the position occupied by the SECOND Brigade in the Field. I found a comparatively good range for the section of artillery, and concluded to place it in battery there, supported by two companies of infantry, and keeping them in readiness for any emergency, the pieces loaded with canister, in order to secure a rallying point in case my advancing infantry had to fall back. The Seventh Kentucky on the right and the Forty -NINTH Indiana on the left of the advanced about 1 mile beyond this section of artillery, when the fire and resistance of the enemy became very fierce. I dispatched immediately the Sixty-NINTH Indiana and One hundred and eighteenth Illinois Infantry to deploy on the left of road to re-enforce these regiments. Gallantly the line so strengthened advanced, forcing several of the enemy's positions by their impetuous charges up and down the hills.

By this time General Hovey was also engaged, and apparently the main forces of the enemy were concentrated against his and my positions. The artillery played heavily on us, but without any injury to the