pelled to retire from, the enemy having brought up a battery to rake the woods, with a much stronger infantry force than my own to support it. I regarded my advance as an important one, and regret exceedingly my inability to maintain it. Immediately on returning to the position from which we had made the charge, the regiments were reformed, and the line, both upon the right and left, advancing, we moved forward also. The enemy rapidly retired, our skirmishers only getting an occasional shot. After advancing some 2 miles, the greater portion of the distance through a dense woods, and capturing more prisoners than we had men, our skirmishers were fired upon by a battery upon our left. Knowing that we had forces upon our left, I sent a staff officer to communicate with them, and at the same time changed my front a little to the left and advanced my skirmishers. On the approach of the latter the enemy retired his battery, leaving a wagon-load of ammunition on the ground.

At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Pardee brought me an order from General McClernand to move with my command to Edwards Station. Waiting a short time for the return of my aide-de-camp(Lieutenant Risdon), who had gone to communicate with Generals Blair and SMITH, on the left, I ordered the ammunition destroyed (in the execution of which order Captain Thomas, of the Twenty-SECOND Kentucky, a most gallant and efficient officer, was severely burned by the explosion), marched to Edwards Station, and bivouacked at 12 o'clock at night.

The action of the Forty-SECOND and One hundred and fourteenth Ohio, from the time they were taken from my immediate command, I suppose will appear from the reports of other officers.

The casualties were as follows:

Command Killed Wounded Missing

16th Ohio 1 5 ---

22nd Kentucky --- 15 ---

42nd Ohio 2 12 7

Total 3 32 7

On the morning of the 17th, just at daylight, having together again four regiments of my brigade, took up line of march to Black River, immediately in rear of General Carr's DIVISION. Came in sight of the enemy, posted behind strong works on the southeast side of the river, about 8. 30 a. m. According to orders, deployed the brigade into line on the left of the railroad, forming a junction with General Carr on the Right. Having been ordered to advance, we moved forward with a strong line of skirmishers to the front some 300 yards, under a severe fire of grape and canister, when we were ordered to halt, lie down, and await the advance of the line on the right. While in this position, received an order from General Osterhaus that he was wounded, and that General Lee would assume command of the DIVISION.

Seeing the enemy moving in their works toward our left, sent two companies, under command of Captain Hutchins, of the Forty-SECOND Ohio, as skirmishers, well advanced to the front, to protect our left. About 10 o'clock the whole line advanced, and the enemy's left giving way, we had no trouble in possessing the works in our immediate front, embracing five batteries, four of which contained two guns each and the FIFTH three.