running to his works. That this firing punished the enemy good is evidenced by the haste in which those coming upon us went back, and from the fact that his guns, even his muskets, did not fire a shot for a least thirty minutes after I had given my men the order to "cease firing." In this fight Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, Sixth Iowa, behaved with marked bravery. The fighting continued in a greater or less degree until dark, when we were relieved by detachments from the Fifty-seventh Ohio and Sixth Missouri, under Lieutenant-Colonel Mott, of the former regiment. Lieutenant Callender, in command of Richardson's battery, and his men exhibited great skill and promptness in handling their pieces and rendering us much service. I must say of General Corse that he is one of the bravest and best men I ever saw, and an officer of distinguished ability. He enjoys the highest confidence and respect of every man in his brigade, and that he is not dangerously wounded, and will soon return to us, is our greatest satisfaction.

Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon all the officers and men for their gallantry during the entire engagement. I find it impossible to mention their names; it would be too voluminous. We had no lurkers; on the contrary, each man endeavored to outdo the other. Captain Allison, Sixth Iowa, Captain Walsh, One hundred and third Illinois, and Adjt. George Gorman, Forty-sixth Ohio, were killed, almost under the enemy's guns. The personal staff of General Corse, Major Ennis, Captain Upton, Lieutenant Wilkinson, Lieutenant Grimes, Lieutenant Watson, and Captain Pratt, were in the thickest of the fight, bravely doing their duty. Major Ennis was wounded in the first charge and taken from the field.

Our loss during the battle was as follows: Thirty-five killed and 186 wounded; total, 221.*

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. C. WALCUTT,

Colonel Forty-sixth Ohio, Commanding Brigade.

Captain J. D. McFARLAND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Morganton, Tennessee, December 7, 1863.

SIR: In obedience to instructions from headquarters Fourth Division, requiring a report of the operations of the brigade and regiments of the division since the breaking up of camp on Big Black River, Miss., I have the honor of submitting the following:

It will be impossible for me to give a minute history of the brigade from the fact that I have only been in command since the morning of the 25th of last month, and was absent from it as a regimental commander until its arrival at Pocahontas, Tennessee Since leaving Big Black the brigade has had four different commanders, and in the following order: Colonel Oliver, Fifteenth Michigan, until its arrival at Griffith's Landing, Miss.; Colonel Hicks, Fortieth Illinois, until at Iuka; Brigadier-General Corse, until wounded in the battle of the 25th ultimo. The brigade struck tents on Big Black September 28th, and arrived at Vicksburg on the 29th. Em-

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*But see revised statement, p. 87.

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