charges, to render the ground in the rear and vicinity of their sap as untenable as possible. No time is to be lost.

Respectfully,

JNumber S. BOWEN,

Major-General,

Major R. W. MEMMIMGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Number 92. Report of Colonel Francis M. Cockrell, SECOND Missouri Infantry, commanding First Brigade. DEMOPOLIS, ALA, August, 1, 1863.

MAJOR: IN consequence of the death of my gallant and lamented DIVISION commander, major GENERAL Johns S. Bowen, I respectfully beg leave to submit to you the following report of the part taken by the First Brigade MISSOURI Volunteers, Bowen'; s division, composed of the following named infantry regiments wit:

The First Missouri Infantry, composed of the First and fourth Regiments consolidated, the SECOND Missouri Infantry, the THIRD Missouri Infantry, the FIFTH MISSOURI Infantry, the Sixth Missouri Infantry, captain Guibor's battery, captain Landis' battery, under command of Lieutenant John M. Langan, and the Wade battery, under Lieutenant Richard C. Walsh, in the battles of Baker's Creek and Big Black, and during the siege of Vicksburg.

* * * * *

On May 18, 1863, began the siege of Vicksburg. On this evening I received an order from General Bowen to move out the Graveyard road to support Major-General Smith's DIVISION. Reporting to General Smith, in obedience to his order I occupied a line on the extreme left in advance of the main lie, after occupied during the siege, and was fired upon by the enemy's skirmishers before gaining my position. Skirmishing continued till darkness closed in. This evening I had w man killed and 8 men wounded. During the night of the 18th instant, I withdrew in rear of our main line, and remained in reserve, in rear of the right of Brigadier-General Baldwin's brigade.

About 2 p. m. / 19 instant, the enemy massed a large force in front of Brigadier-General Shoup's brigade and the left of Brigadier-General Hebert and the right of Brigadier-general Baldwin's and made almost furious and determined assault. Seeing this concentration of the Colonel McCown, to the support of General Hebeert left, and the First Missouri Infantry, under Colonel A. C. Riley, to the support of line at the stockade between General Hebert left and Shoup' right and the SECOND Missouri Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel P. S. Senteny, to the support of the Twenty-seventh Louisiana Regiment, on Shoup' right and the Brigadier-General Vaughn's brigade, on the extreme left and held the THIRD Missouri Infantry, under Cool. W. R. Gause, in readiness to re-enforce any point. The enemy in large masses, without any regular lines, pressed forward very close to our works, but were soon severely repulsed and driven back in disorder, and every subsequent effort was likewise repulsed.

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*For portion here omitted, and letter of transmittal, see battle of Champion's Hill, pp. 109-115.

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