Numbers 32. Report of Colonel George E. Bryant, Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding FIFTH Brigade. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH BRIGADE, TWELFTH DIVISION, Near Jackson, MISS., July 20, 1863.

SIR: This command left camp, near Vicksburg, as the THIRD Brigade, Fourth DIVISION, Sixteenth Army Corps, attached to the Thirteenth army Corps, the DIVISION being commanded by Brigadier General J. G. Lauman, at 7 a. m. July 5, 1863.

The command of brigade was passed over to me on the morning of the march, on account of sickness of Colonel Johnson, former commander. Lieutenant Thomas A. Ralston, acting assistant adjutant-general, was taken sick at near Big Black River, and returned to Vicksburg.

I detailed Lieutenant James K. Proundfit, adjutant of the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry, in his place, who has acted in the capacity since.

During the march to this point the DIVISION was at the rear of the corps, and the troops were largely, employed in guarding trains. The regiments composing this command were separated a good deal of the time, but no incident worthy of mention occurred until after the arrival near this point.

In the morning of the 11th instant, the FIFTY-THIRD Indiana Infantry, Colonel W. Q. Gresham commanding, under orders from General Lauman, reconnoitered and opened a road from the Clinton road to the Raymond and Gallatin roads, and returned to the brigade, near the Clinton road, about 10 a. m., having successfully carried out instructions. Soon after(about 11 a. m.), the Twenty-eight Illinois Infantry, Major H. Rhodes commanding, under orders from General Lauman, marched upon the road opened by Colonel Gresham's command, and took position on the left of the Southern Railroad, a short distance to the front and right of the junction of the Raymond and Gallatin roads. The balance of the brigade marched about 2 p. m., by order of General Lauman, upon the same route, the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry, Captain Giles Stevens commanding, guarding DIVISION train. The brigade halted that night near the present division hospital. The train did not come up, and the Twelfth Wisconsin remained with it. The Thirty-SECOND Illinois Infantry, Colonel John Logan commanding, was placed upon picket, by order of General Lauman, from the Raymond to the Gallatin roads in rear of the position. The FIFTY-THIRD Indiana Infantry and Fifteenth Ohio Battery remained where the command halted.

In the morning of the 12th instant, General Lauman, with the First Brigade, made an advance upon the enemy's works, taking with him the Twenty-eight Illinois Infantry, which was in position as indicated above. After the advance was commanded, an officer of General Lauman's staff sent forward the FIFTY-THIRD Indiana Infantry and Fifteenth Ohio Battery, as I suppose, to support the movement, thought I am informed that their only orders were to follow the First Brigade.

The troops advancing on the enemy's works on the right of the railroad soon came under a terrible fire of shell, grape, canister, and musketry. The advance was over nearly level ground, covered with logs, slashed brush, stumps, &c., and perfectly open to the enemy's fire for about 600 yards. Brave as men can be, the troops rushed on till some arrived within 75 yards of the rebel works, or less, but they were finally forced to relinquish the hopeless effort, and slowly fell back to