15 acres, where our march was somewhat impeded by an abatis made by the enemy.

At this point we were fired upon by the skirmishers. I ordered the battalion not to return to fire. The right wing of the battalion was faced to the right and marched up the hill some distance under a heavy fire, then faced to the front, and ordered to open fire upon the enemy. In the men time the left win had marched through a gap in the abatis, faced to the right, and rejoined the four right companies, when a general engagement ensued. At this point Captain F. M. Rogers, of Company E, fell, gallantly cheering his men on. The engagement at this point continued for about an hour or more, the men displaying great coolness and bravery and the officers great gallantry.

The regiment suffered severely at this point, and was ordered to retreat by Major Casseday, who had been appointed by General Buckner to assist me (Colonel Baldwin being in command of a brigade on the extreme left). After falling back some 200 yards I endeavored to rally the regiment on the Eighteenth Tennessee Regiment, but Major Casseday insisted, and gave the order to the regiment to fall back to the entrenchments, which was done.

After remaining there about an hour, we were again ordered out by General Buckner to support a section of Captain Graves' battery. We marched down the Wynn's Ferry road about 1 miles, and were halted on the top of the hill by General Buckner, when the enemy's battery opened a galling fire of shot and shell upon us. It was soon ascertained that Captain Graves' battery could do but little good there, and was ordered back (I think by General Pillow), whereupon my regiment was ordered to take its original position on the right. Upon our arrival there we found that the enemy were in possession of the entrenchments on the extreme right, which had been occupied by the Second Kentucky Regiment, and which was then engaged the enemy to regain the original position.

My regiment was immediately ordered to their support, and, on arriving there, we found the enemy advancing upon us in considerable numbers, when we were ordered to open fire upon them, which was kept up from about 3 o'clock until about dark, when the enemy retired. The men slept upon their arms during the night.

About 1 o'clock I received your order to have my regiment ready to march in an hour, which order was countermanded about daylight.*

Respectfully submitted.

W. L. DOSS,

Major, Commanding Fourteenth Regiment Mississippi Volunteers.

Colonel JOHN C. BROWN,

Commanding First Brigade, General Buckner's Division.

Numbers 56. Report of Colonel John M. Lillard, Twenty-sixth Tennessee Infantry.

FEBRUARY-, 1862.

The regiment went into action on Saturday, February 15, with 400, including field, staff, &c. There were 11 killed and 85 wounded, many mortally, and who have since died. Total killed and wounded, 96.

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*Nominal list of casualties accompanying this report shows 17 killed, 85 wounded, and 10 missing.

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