HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
May 22, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I have had a hotly contested field all day, beginning with artillery at daylight and infantry at 10 o'clock, when a general charge was made upon the enemy's line. *

The casualties are considerable, including in the list of killed Colonel Boomer, Lieutenant-Colonel Dunlap, and several other commissioned officers, and several field and line officers wounded, and many privates killed and wounded.

General Quinby's DIVISION came too late to be applied in the engagements to-day. Generals Osterhaus, Carr, and Hovey report to me that their men are exhausted by fatigue and a want of sufficient food and rest. General Quinby also says his men are very much fatigued. I doubt if a considerable portion of their commands will be qualified for efficient action to-morrow.

General McArthur's troops have not arrived, although I understand that his camp is within 2 miles and his headquarters within 1. I sent him some artillery to-day, and hear firing from it this evening.

On the receipt of your order, I instructed him to bring forward his DIVISION, if there was no public property at Warrenton to protect, otherwise one brigade only, and have just learned that he probably had but one brigade with him.

I still think that to force the enemy's works we will have to mass a strong force upon some one or two points of his defenses. The enemy made two sorties this evening, but were repulsed. He seems disposed to turn my right flank; indeed, I this moment learn that he is attempting to pass between McPherson and me. I have some doubts, however, on this point. In order, however, to guard against this danger, I would suggest that General McPherson immediately extend his line by infantry or a strong picket until it joins my picket.

In the morning I could relieve any force thus moved in this direction by a brigade of General McArthur's DIVISION, which I now understand to be on the way here.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McClernand.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
May 22, 1863.

Major-General McPherson:

GENERAL: General McClernand directs me to tell you that there is

a wide gap between our right and your left. In order to reduce it, we have ordered a brigade of Quinby's DIVISION to our right, and ordered them to throw out pickets toward you, and wish that you would so extend your left by pickets as to close the gap.

I am, sir, with respect, your obedient servant,

WRIGHT RIVES

First Lieutenant Sixth Infantry, U. S. Army, Major and Aide-de-Camp.

P. S. - The enemy have been making demonstrations toward our right all the evening.

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*For Grant to McClernand, and other dispatches from McClernand of this date, see Part I, pp. 172, 173.

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