mediately formed on their right. Here I took command of both regiments. Colonel White's brigade being warmly engaged with the enemy in the woods on the right of the clear land, I was ordered to his support. Moving in double-quick time by the right flank and passing through the timber to a small hill I found the Fifty-ninth Illinois retiring in disorder, having been overwhelmed by vastly superior numbers and a murderous fire from the Louisiana, Arkansas, and Cherokee troops. I closed up my lines as soon as the Fifty-ninth passed through, and, advancing through the field, changed my line of battle by wheeling to the left until I got about parallel with the right side of the large field first mentioned. Then pressing forward I found the enemy rushing upon Davidson's battery (Colonel White, with the Thirty-seventh Illinois, having retired to change his line), having taken two guns, which they turned on my command with some effect. Here they received a full volley from us, which threw them into the utmost confusion, when they abandoned the guns taken and retreated from the field, a part of them passing to our right rear, and a large force taking immediately through the line of the Twenty-second, which gave way, by order of Colonel Hendricks, and retired from the field, leaving the Eighteenth alone. About this time Colonel Hendricks fell, having received two mortal wounds.

About the time the enemy found I had them flanked Colonel White rallied the Thirty-seventh and nobly seconded my efforts to retake the battery. That portion of the enemy which passed my left flank poured in a desperate volley on the rear of the Eighteenth,which was rendered comparatively harmless by having the men fall flat down. The left wing was promptly faced by the rear rank and returned the fire with terrible effect on the enemy, while the right wing fired to the right front on those who were rapidly retreating in that direction. We then passed through to the open ground in front, having secured a complete victory over a force three times our number of the best Louisiana and Arkansas troops, assisted by a large body of Cherokee Indians, many of whom paid the penalty of the penalty of their base ingratitude to the Government that has so bountifully provided for their welfare. After some little time the Twenty-second returned and took their position on the right of the Eighteenth, where we bivouacked on the same ground where we first formed. Thus ended the battle near Leetown, in which the enemy lost Generals McCulloch and McIntosh, with many other officers of distinction.

About 10 p.m. your orders were received directing me to move my command to the support of Carr's division, which had been warmly engaged all day with Price's forces. At 12 o'clock we moved, returning to the main road, thence north to the cleared land south of Elkhorn Tavern, where we took position on the right side of the road, the left of the Eighteenth resting on the road, and the right of the Twenty-second resting on the left of the Eighth, which had rendered gallant service during the day under Lieutenant-Colonel Shunk, in conjunction with the right wing of Klauss' battery, which I found in position opposite the center of my command. Here we bivouacked on the edge of the brush-wood until morning.

At 7.30 a.m. on the morning of the 8th the fire was opened by Davidson's and Klauss' batteries, which in a short time was answered by a tremendous fire of grape and canister from a masked battery in a point of scrubby timber not over 150 yards from my line. Klauss' battery, after firing a few rounds, was forced to retire, the Twenty-second and Eighth likewise falling back in haste. The Eighteenth remained in ambush unobserved as yet by the enemy, their fire passing over, until