hill I occupied. Reluctantly I left the command with Colonel Rice. Colonel Malmborg, senior officer, having been most painfully wounded in the eye, and went, back in person for report and explanation.

At General Blair's headquarters I received the following written orders:

Brigade commanders will collect the forces of their respective regiments, and occupy the last ground from which they moved to the assault to-day, where their men will be well covered, advancing a line of skirmishers as near as possible to the enemy's works, for the purpose of occupying his attention. They will be prepared to assault at day break in the morning.

By order of Major General F. P. Blair,&c.,

At this it had become quite dark, when suddenly the whole scene was brilliantly lighted by the flames of certain wooden houses within the works, ignited by simultaneous action of the enemy for the purpose of discovering our change of movement. This purpose had bee anticipated by Colonel Spooner, who, with skill and good judgment, with drew from the ditch beneath the parapet to shelter. A few moments later, and hand-grenades and the grave would have been supper and bed for his men.

In pursuance of the last order, I quietly withdrew my command by details. At 3 o'clock in the morning they were in their old position. Here we remained till the morning of the 22nd, instant, when orders issued to all the army corps for a simultaneous attack were received. My instructions were to march by the right flank down the road before mentioned, following the First Brigade, the right of the DIVISION being led MY Brigadier-General Ewing, commanding the THIRD Brigade, by right of rank, the position of my brigade being upon the left; a storming party of 150 men to precede. Volunteers of 50 were called from I shall have occasion to report hereafter.

As soon as the First Brigade had formed, I closed behind it in the following order of regiments: FIFTY FIFTH Illinois Eighty-THIRD Indian, FIFTY-seventh Ohio, one hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, and FIFTY-fourth Ohio, moving forward through the ravines near my line the night previous.

As we emerged upon the high ground from the cover of the woods and hills, I discovered that the program had been changed. Instead of a dense column marching by the flank down the road, as I had expected, the ground I had passed ver in the first assault on the 19th instant was covered by scattered masses. The flag of General Ewing in person to General Blair, and received an order to support Colonel Giles A. Smith, who was endeavoring to make a position somewhere between General Ewing and General Ransom. This movement I could not have anticipated. Nevertheless, discovering cover, and knowing the ground well, I threw the brigade in column of regiments, and, by regiments, moved rapidly over the brow of the hill, masking them as best I could under cover from the enemy's musketry and a Whitworth gun, waspish in its annoyance.

They went over under heavy fire, but fortunately, owing to the promptitude and gallantry of the men, without having one killed or wounded, the volley in each instance passing over their heads. Thence, defiling down a long ravine that skirts the main chain of bluffs, I overtook and again massed by column of regiments in the rear of the Eight Missouri of the First Brigade, which had the most advanced position. Shortly I threw out the FIFTY-FIFTH Illinois in line with