we were. I saw him, and he informed me that Colonel Sanford had deployed my regiment so as to cover the front of the DIVISION, and directed me to connect the line left of the Jackson and Canton Railroad with that on the right, and to take charge of the skirmishers, and that the several brigades would support me, push up the Jackson and Canton Railroad, keeping my lines at right angles with that road.

In accordance with these instructions, I moved the line until the enemy made a stand on our left, when I massed Companies D and F charged them, driving them through the woods into their works. They fired several houses to prevent our attacking their works. Having gained a good position on the left, I halted in till the right should connect, as we had separated in making the charge. I found the right had been halted by order of Colonel Sanford, and, connecting the two lines by pickets, we lay in that position till the next morning, when we received orders to advance, charging direction to the left. The line moved under a very sharp fire, until I found it impossible to get the rebels from in front of our center without massing and charging again. Companies K, E and B were put in line, and, with a yell and bayonets fixed, they drove them out of the ditch they held, killing and wounding quite a number. The ground gained was held, and after forty hours of the most arduous labor the regiment was relieved by another line.

On the morning of the 16th instant, Major-General Parke directed me to assume command of the skirmishers and push them so as to feel strongly the enemy's line at every point in our immediately front. The left I placed in charge of the colonel of the Ninety-seventh Indiana, and assumed command of the line formed by the Sixth Iowa, supported by Sanford's brigade. At the designated signal, the line pressed forward, capturing some prisoners(so impetuously did they go), killing quite a number, clearing the forest, railroad, fences, corn-fields in their front, driving the enemy into their works. On arriving about 100 yards from their main works, we were opened upon by a battery of siege guns, enfilading our line, and a battery of brass howitzers in our immediate front, supported by the three regiments of infantry. Under this terrific fire it was impossible to make the works, so I ordered the " lie down" to be bounded until I could reconnoiter in person.

After convincing myself that the works could not be captured-that I had all the information the general desired from this reconnaissance- I ordered the men to rise and fall back in the woods, which they did in good order, and held the woods till next morning, when the line entered the place.

To Major Miller and Adjutant Ennis I am under obligations for their conduct and support at the different times they participated in the above operations. Captains Minton and Bashore and Lieutenant Holmes are particularly worthy of notice in the last action, and there is no officer of my command but that in some way has rendered himself worthy of honorable mention at some one of the affairs our advance on Jackson.

Below I have the honor to submit the casualties of the command since leaving Oak Ridge. *

I am, very respectfully, yours,

JNO. M. CORSE,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant E. B. HARLAN, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

---------------

*Embodied in revised statement, p. 544.

---------------