this fearful fire portions of the THIRD and FIFTH Missouri Infantry Regiments had fallen back a short distance. I ordered them to regain their first line, which was quickly done. Then I order the brigade to charge the heavy, strong lines of the enemy, rapidly advancing and cheering, flushed with their success and the capture of our guns; and in the most gallant, dashing, fearless manner, officers and men with in the most gallant, dashing fearless manner, officers and men with loud cheers threw themselves forward at a run against the enemy's hitherto victorious lines. And just at this time the First Missouri Infantry, coming up, was placed on the extreme right, and most gallantly charged a very superior force of the enemy immediately in their front, at the same time being exposed to such a destructive raking fire from the enemy on their right-all the troops on the right having fallen back-that Colonel [A. C.]Riley had to change the front of his two right companies. Soon the enemy's lines in front of this brigade were checked, and after a very stubborn resistance and a very destructive fire from my whole line, firing continuously in its rapid advance, they were severely repulsed and driven back. At this time Lieutenant-Colonel Hubbell, with the before-named five companies of skirmishers, who withdrew from the front of my former position after the brigade had moved, came up, and, forming in rear of center of the brigade line, most cheeringly joined in the charge and overtook our lines. Fresh troops of the enemy were rapidly thrown in front of our lines, and were immediately engaged and repulsed. This fearful strife was kept up uninterruptedly for two and a half hours. The soldiers of this brigade fired away the 40 rounds of ammunition in their cartridge boxes, and instead of abandoning the field took from the cartridge-boxes of their fallen and wounded soldiers, and even stripped the slain and wounded of the enemy, with whom the ground was thickly strewn, of all their cartridges, many of them firing 75 to 90 rounds. Captain Waddell's battery was recaptured, and this gallant, fearless officer immediately, with the assistance of one or two men, opened his battery on the fleeing enemy. A battery of the enemy attempted to check the impetuous advance, and was quickly charged and captured, but could not be brought off on account of the horses being killed. When all the ammunition in cartridge-boxes and that gathered from the slain and wounded of friend and foe was exhausted, the troops gradually began to fall back. In the early part of the engagement, I sent two of my staff officers for ammunition, but the ordnance train could not be found. Colonel [James] McCown, of the FIFTH Missouri Infantry, sent his major after ammunition, but he likewise failed. Colonel A. C. Riley, of the First Missouri Infantry, in his official report to me, states that his ordnance sergeant started to him to supply ammunition fired away by his men, but was ordered across Baker's Creek by General Stevenson. Captain Guibor's battery, under Lieutenant [William] Corkery, was placed in position on the left of the brigade, and did effective service in saving the left of the brigade from being flanked. Lieutenants Langan and Walsh, with their batteries, did good service on the right of the brigade in checking the enemy in his attempt to gain the rear of our right flank. At this time I received notice through Captain [W. B.]Pittman, of Brigadier-General Green's staff, that there was an order to retreat, which I delayed communicating, hoping that Major [General Loring's DIVISION might still arrive in time to push forward the successes and advantages so gallantly and dearly won, having met with and been informed by the lieutenant-general commanding, in answer to my request for re-enforcements, that he had not a man until General Loring should arrive.