at 6.30 p. m., and soon after the enemy withdrew, owing, I suppose, to the darkness. I found cowering under the river bank when I crossed from 7,000 to 10,000 men, frantic with fright and utterly demoralized, who received my gallant division with cries, "We are whipped; cut to pieces." They were insensible to shame or sarcasm-for I tried both on them-and, indignant at such poltroonery, I asked permission to open fire upon the knaves.

By 9 p. m. the infantry of my division were all across the river, and took up their positions as follows: Colonel Ammen's brigade, consisting of the Thirty-sixth Indiana, Colonel Grose; Sixth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson; Twenty-fourth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, took post on the left. On the right of them Bruce's brigade was posted, consisting of the First Kentucky Regiment, Colonel Enyart; Second Kentucky Regiment, Colonel Sedgewick; Twentieth Kentucky Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Hanson. On the right of Bruce's brigade the brigade of Colonel Hazen was posted, composed of the Ninth Indiana, Colonel Moody; Sixth Kentucky, Colonel Whitaker; Forty-first Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Mygatt.

Heavy pickets were immediately thrown well forward and every precaution taken to prevent surprise during the night. These dispositions were made by the direction and under the inspection of General Buell, who gave me orders to move forward and attack the enemy at the earliest dawn. The night passed away without serious alarm. The men lay upon their arms. Lieutenant Gwin, of the Navy, commanding the gunboats in the river, sent to me and asked how he could be of service. I requested that he would throw an 8-inch shell into the camp of the enemy every ten minutes during the night, and thus prevent their sleeping, which he did very scientifically, and, according to the report of the prisoners, to their infinite annoyance. At 4 a. m. I roused up the men quietly by riding along the line, and when the line of battle was dressed and the skirmishers well out and the reserves in position, I sent an aide to notify the general that I was ready to commence the action; whereupon the Fourth Division of the Army of the Ohio, in perfect order, as if on drill, moved toward the enemy. At 5.20 I found them, and the action commenced with vigor. My division drove them with ease, and I followed them up rapidly, when at 6 a. m. I was halted by commands from General Buell, I having gone farther forward than I should have done, my right flank being exposed.

The enemy was greatly re-enforced in front of me, and at 7 a. m. my advance, which had been resumed by order of General Buell, was checked. At 7.30 my division began to give ground slowly. We were exposed to the fire of two of the enemy's batteries, and I had no artillery. You are aware that owing to the want of transportation I was compelled to leave the three batteries of my division at Savannah. I asked for artillery to support my infantry. General Buell sent to my aid the battery commanded by Captain Mendenhall, of the Regular Army, belonging to Crittenden's division, the well-directed fire of which gave my division most refreshing relief. After 8 the firing of the enemy was tremendous. They had been again largely re-enforced on this point. General Buell, who rode along the lines at this time, saw for himself the behavior of the Fourth Division. The style in which Colonel Ammen handled his brigade excited my admiration. Colonel Hazen commanded the right brigade of this division, carried it into action, and maintained it there most gallantly. The heavy loss of his brigade attests the fierceness of the conflict at this point. He drove the enemy and captured the battery which so distressed us, but was forced back