determine to yield their position only with ; their lives. Every officer and this post, some cheering the men, others opening the cartridges and tearing them to facilitate loading. Here our ammunition was exhausted, and some fired away what they could obtain from the cartridge-boxes of the dead and wounded lying around them. I still held the regiment about thirty minutes after being unable to fire, the enemy being too much exhausted to press us. I then moved back into an open field, where General Logan had a supply of ammunition along his line, and refilled the cartridge-boxes. Before this was completed, our artillery commenced firing grape and shell over our heads, and we were unable to return without being in immediate range of our guns. But we soon saw the enemy fleeing from the field, not one having reached the line where we made our determined stand.

We can make no distinction for heroism and skill among officers when all were so conspicuous, but I cannot forbear to remember the eminent assistance I received in the most trying moments from Adjutant Marshall and Captain Lee and Pickerell.

I went into this battle with an aggregate of 350 officers and men, and lost 19 killed and 75 wounded.

On the evening of the 16th, after the battle we marched 2 miles, and camped for the night, on the 17th marched 5 miles, and camped on Big Black, on the 18th crossed Big Black, and on the 19th arrived before Vicksburg.

We were soon assigned a position, where we remained for the day, and on the 20th advanced our lines nearer the enemy's works, on the 21st continued skirmishing was kept up with the enemy, and on the 22nd again advanced to the range of hills nearest to the enemy's works, on the left of the large fort commanding the entrance to Vicksburg, my regiment leading and clearing the way to the latter point, where we were formed in line of battle, my regiment occupying the right of front line, the Twenty-SIXTH Missouri in my rear. Here we Remained, beneath a burning sun, and exposed in a measure to the fire of the enemy, during which time skirmishing was continually kept up. In this position I have to report a loss of 1 man killed and 2 wounded.

At 3 p. m. the DIVISION being ordered to enforce General McClernand, on our left, we were withdrawn from our position, and with our brigade were reported to General Carr at 5 p. m. Preparations were immediately made by the brigade to charge upon the intrenchments of the enemy on the THIRD range of hills in our front, and about 120 rods distant. The brigade was formed in two lines of the battle, y regiment again occupying the right of the front line, the Twenty-SIXTH Missouri advanced was ordered, and in the most perfect order, at common time, and with arms at a right shoulder shift, and exposed to a most galling and deadly fire form the whole line of the enemy's works-right, left and in front-we passed the first and principal range, dressed my lines, and were in readiness for a farther advance. Here a new disposition of the troops being found necessary by the brigade commander to enable him to direct his march to the point desired, my regiment was marched by the flank to a new position, again exposed to the enemy's fire, where I again dressed my line, and was in readiness to advance. Just at this juncture our noble and brave brigade commander, colonel Boomer, was shot through the head, and instantly expired. This circumstance caused a momentary delay, and before and advance was