Black, I crossed the brigade, and sending forward the Twenty-SECOND Iowa Volunteers as a protection to the advance of the train I encamped with the remainder of my command on the bank of the river for the night. Marching early the 19th instant, I arrived in the rear of Vicksburg and rejoined the DIVISION in the afternoon of that day. During the remained of the 19th instant, and all day of the 20, my brigade acted as a reserve to the troops of Smith's DIVISION, operating against the fortifications of Vicksburg. At night of the 20, orders were received to move forward and take the advance, relieving Landram's brigade, of Smith's DIVISION, which was quietly and quickly done under cover of the darkness. As soon as I had taken the advance, to protect my ranks from the enemy's sharpshooter rifle-pits were put in course of construction. This work progressed favorably during the 21st. Two pieces of artillery, belonging to the Peoria Battery, were also brought up and planted on our right, in line with the pits. Late in the evening of the 21st, orders were received to charge the enemy's works at 10 p. m. on the 22nd instant, this to be a part of a simultaneous movement of our whole army upon the rebel fortifications. For an account of the operations of this brigade on May 22, you are respectfully refereed to the official report of the SECOND Brigade, fourteenth DIVISION Thirteenth Army Corps, May 22, 1863. By daylight on the morning of the 22nd instant, my brigade, consisting of the Eleventh Wisconsin and the Twenty-first and Twenty-SECOND Iowa Volunteers, had moved forward and occupied the ravine immediately in front of and about 100 yards from the rebel fortifications. The Ninety-seventh Illinois Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, placed temporarily under my command, was stationed in the ravine in the rear of the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers. Here they were sheltered by the brow of the hill, on the top and a little to the rear of which the enemy's works were constructed. This position they continued to occupy without change until the hour)10 p. m. _ appointed for the charge arrived. Promptly at the hour my line was formed to the assault, the Twenty-SECOND Iowa, colonel William M. Stone, occupying the right, the Eleventh Wisconsin, colonel Harris, the left, with the Twenty-first Iowa, major Van Anda, supporting the Twenty-SECOND, and the Ninety-seventh Illinois the Eleventh Wisconsin, colonel Stone led his regiment against the enemy's ford directly in our front; the Eleventh Wisconsin, colonel Harris, charged toward the rifle-points to the left of the fort, the two supporting regiments closely following. As soon as they reached the crest of the hill, a terrible fire from the enemy in front and on both flanks swept the ground and did fearful execution. Officers and men fell on every side; but with a courage that could not be daunted, the Twenty-SECOND and Twenty-first Iowa on the right, and the Eleventh Wisconsin and a portion of the Ninety-seventh Illinois on the left, moved upon the enemy's works. Reaching them, the width and depth of the ditch in front of the works, combined with the heavy fire poured into them by the rebels, checked the main advance of the Twenty-SECOND and Twenty-first Iowa; a few brave men, however. Leaping into the ditch, clambered up the sides of the fort, rushed into it, engaging in a hand to hand conflict with the rebels occupying the outer wing of the fort, overcame them, killing many and compelling the remainder to surrender. Thus a portion of their works were in our possession, with the flag of the Twenty-SECOND Iowa planted upon the walls. Those men of the Twenty-first and