his battalion, and a private of the Seventh Illinois was severely wounded in the lungs.

This was the day of our first occupation of Farmington, and subsequent events warrant me in saying that these constant movements of large bodies of my command upon our extreme left throughout the day effectually prevented the enemy from consummating his plan of a flank movement.

May 9.-The enemy having this day appeared in strong force to dispute our occupation of Farmington, Lieutenant-Colonel Hatch, Second Iowa Cavalry, was ordered by me to the front, with his regiment, the Second Michigan under Lieutenant-Colonel Gorham, being held in reserve.

On arriving at Seven Mile Creek, 1 mile from Farmington, he found General Paine's division hotly pressed and in some confusion. Crossing the causeway and bridge over the creek, he found three batteries, sweeping every approach from the creek. The ground was much broken by hills and ravines and utterly unsuited to cavalry movements, but nevertheless, upon receiving the order from General Paine to charge, Colonel Hatch divided his force, sending Major Hepburn, with the First Battalion, to charge the left battery, while himself, accompanied by Majors Love and Coon, with the Second and Third Battalions, charged upon the center and right batteries in splendid style, driving in the strong force of the enemy's skirmishers and battery support with great fury, and completely silencing the fire of both batteries; but finding the enemy's infantry in great force in the woods in the rear of the batteries he retired in good order, but with a loss of no less than 43 killed, wounded, and missing, besides a large number of horses.

I cannot express my conviction that this heavy loss wa attributable to the entirely unfit nature of the ground over which the charge was ordered. Major Hepburn found his ground entirely impracticable, his men being unable to reach the guns in the left battery, yet the enemy, evidently alarmed at his charge, suspended their fire. Major Hepburn then retired his command to the foot of the hill in good order and with no loss. The object of the charge, however, was entirely accomplished. The infantry and artillery who were crowding the narrow causeway in much confusion were give time by it to extricate themselves, retire, and form upon the opposite side, and the gallant Hescock had time to withdraw his battery, which had been in some danger.

May 10.-Major Burton, with six companies of the Third Michigan and Seventh Illinois Cavalry, was sent on a reconnaissance toward Sharp's Mill. He found the road densely obstructed by felled trees, but no enemy. Upon returning to his camp he was fired upon by General Buford's pickets through mistake, and ere it was rectified two shots were fired from a battery of General Buford's brigade, one of which killed a private of Major Burton's command.

On this day Captain Latimer, Company E, Third Michigan, while on picket duty before Farmington, had a brisk skirmish with the enemy's pickets, losing 1 men taken prisoner and several slightly wounded. Six companies Second Iowa and six companies Second Michigan, with one battery, Colonel Elliott commanding, made a forced reconnaissance on the Alabama road. No casualties.

May 12.-One battalion Second Michigan, under Captain Campbell, and one battalion Second Iowa, under Major Hepburn, encountered the enemy's pickets near Farmington, and drove them some distance in the direction of Corinth.

May 13.-Colonel Elliott, with his brigade, consisting of the Second