briskness early in the morning and late in the evening, slackening and sometimes altogether ceasing during the seven of eight middle hours of the day, and kept up during the night at regular bu longer internals. The enemy's skirmishers occupied every cover in our own front, and opposite my right were enabled to approach to within sight of 100 paces. Upon no position of the lie could a head be exposed a moment above the parapet without being a target for the enemy's bullets.

On June 20, at daybreak the enemy opened their heaviest artillery fire, and through this was kept up incessantly with the greatest rapidity for five or six hours, and continued with a little less vigor during the were but 21 killed and 5 wounded. The greater portion of our loss during the siege was caused by the fire of small-arms. The enemy had constructed a covered, way connecting his batteries on the hills opposite the left, by way of the valley in our front, with those opposite my right. From this they commenced an approach opposite the right of the Thirty-First Louisiana, where the Valley was narrowest, ascending a spur which led from the ridge occupied by our defense. To obstruct the approach in case of an attempt to storm a row of palished had been placed some 20 yards in front of our trenches at this point, and a ditch excavated being these to shelter and advanced line of sharpshooters and additional obstacle. Their works silently progress with our impediment until about June 25, then, when they had approached to within 60 or 70 yards, their boldness invited our attention. Pro urging a dozen hunting rifles, these in the hands of experienced marksmen rendered their approach very slow and cautious. The 3 inch rile piece was brought to bear to 700 yards; ' distance with same effect on their works, and afterward a position was excavated on the site of Riddle's house, concealed form view, fort the 24-pounder howitzer, which was completed on the night of the 3rd instant. This gun, bearing at 150 yards with a plunging fire directly on their work, would have effectually destroyed it had not the termination of our defense prevented its being used.

On the night of the 3rd instant, I was summoned to a council of general officers and brigade commanders, to consider terms of capitulation offered by the commander of the Federal forces. The result of his deliberation and the terms obtained next day required no report from me. My command marched over he tenches and stacked their arms with the greatest reluctance, conscious of their ability to hold the position assigned them for an indefinite period of time.

During the whole siege the entire command had exhibited the highest degree of patience, fortitude, and courage, bearing deprivations of sufficient food, constant duty in the trenches under a boiling sum by wiling go bear any hardship, confident in sustaining the brunt of any assault in the hope of anticipated relief an ultimate triumph. The against surprise, and nightly our pickets were in advance of our defenses and nearly continuous to the sentinels of the enemy.] All the regiments of my command and the artillerists deserve the highest commendation of their good conduct during the siege and the preceding operations.

The loss in killed and wound severe. No being able to give the name nor the exact numbers at this time from absence of reports of regimental commanders, these will be the subject of a supplemental report.