lent and worthy officer, faithful and energetic in the performance of his duties. Lieutenant-Colonel Edgington, commanding Twelfth Iowa, was prompt and efficient in the performance of his duties, showing he was worthy to command. Colonel S. G. Hill, Thirty-FIFTH Iowa, was attentive, and showed a determination to do his duty, while Lieutenant [David W.] Reed was always on hand when required. Lieutenant N. E. Duncan, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant [William A.] Morse, acting aide-de-camp, were always prompt in the discharge of the duties devolving on them. Without further particularizing, the officers ans men performed their duties in a commendable manner. Surgeon [Sanford W.] Huff, chief surgeon of the brigade, was always attentive to the sick and wounded, as were all the other surgeons connected with the brigade.

Yours, very respectfully, &c.,

J. J. WOODS,

Colonel, Comdg. THIRD Brigadier, THIRD Div., Fifteenth Army Corps.

Captain J. B. SAMPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, THIRD DIVISION.

Numbers 47. Report of Colonel James L. Geddes, Eighth Iowa Infantry. JACKSON, MISS., July 21, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report, for the information of the general commanding, the part taken by the force under my command in the expedition to Brandon, MISS., which left Jackson, MISS., July 18, 1863, consisting of the Eighth and Twelfth Iowa, Seventy-SECOND Ohio, and One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, with Captain Waterhouse's battery.

Crossing Pearl River on the night of July 18, my command bivouacked about 1 1/2 miles from the river, on the road to Brandon.

On the morning of the 19th, I resumed the march, forcing the enemy's pickets to retire as we advanced. On arriving within 3 miles of Brandon, and as the head of column was debouching from a wood, the enemy opened fire from a battery of three planted immediately in the road and distant about 1 mile, at the same time making cavalry demonstrations on my flanks. Forming the Twelfth Iowa, under Lieutenant-Colonel Edgington, on the right, the Eighth, under Major Stubbs, and the One hundred and Fourteenth, under Lieutenant-Colonel King, on the left of the road, with the Seventy-SECOND Ohio, under Captain Snyder, in close support, I ordered the advance, at the same time a strong line of skirmishers was deployed well to the front. The brigade moved forward for half a mile under a very severe and continuous fire.

Previous to the advance of the line, I ordered one gun of Captain Waterhouse's battery to take position in the road, and another in a corn-field on the right, but the distance was so great that their fire could barely reach the point where the enemy's battery was located, while their rifled guns threw shot and shell into my position with great accuracy. The deep dikes running parallel to our front effectually prevented the advance of the artillery with the general line, consequently it had to retain its first position, but still continued a brisk fire on the