Colonel Scott, in the afternoon, indicated a determination to give us battle. Although Churchill's division did not get up until late in the afternoon, and then in apparently and exhausted state, I determined to march to Richmond the next day, even at the cost of a battle with the whole force of the enemy. The leading division, under General Cleburne, was moved early the next morning, and after advancing 2 or 3 miles they found the enemy drawn up in line of battle in a fine position near Mount Zion Church, about 6 miles from Richmond. Without waiting for Churchill's division Cleburne at once commenced the action, and when I arrived on the field at 7.30 o'clock the fire of artillery was brisk on both sides. As my force was almost too small to storm the position in front without a disastrous loss I sent General Churchill with one of his brigades to turn the enemy's right. While this move was being executed a bold and well-conducted attempt on the part of the enemy to turn Cleburne's right was admirably foiled by the firmness of Colonel Preston Smith's brigade, who repulsed the enemy with great slaughter. It was about this time, and while he was riding from his left to his right, that General Cleburne was badly wounded in the face, and thus at a critical moment I was deprived of the services of one of the most gallant, zealous, and intelligent officers of my whole army. The command of this division then devolved upon Colonel Preston Smith.

In the mean time General Churchill had been completely successful in his movement upon the enemy's right flank, where by a bold charge his men completed a victory already partially gained by the gallantry of our troops on the right. In this action our loss was quite heavy on the right, but in comparison with that of the enemy was small.

It being reported that the enemy had taken up a new position on White's farm, 2 miles in front, I ordered Churchill with one brigade to again turn his right, intending to bring up Preston Smith on the other flank; but a desperate attempt on the part of the enemy to crush Churchill caused the action to commence before the arrival of Smith's division, and so this gallant brigade (Colonel McCray's) of Texans and Arkansans had to fight the battle alone. Although the odds opposed to them were fearful, yet by reserving their own fire under the deafening roar of the enemy's guns, and by a well-timed and dashing charge upon the advancing line they completely routed and put to flight the hosts of the enemy just as the cheers of Smith's division announced their arrival in the field. The loss of the enemy here was very great, including one piece of artillery; ours almost nothing.

Scott's cavalry having been sent around to our left by another road to get in the rear of Richmond, I felt during the whole day much need of cavalry to follow up our different successes. It was then that in this second repulse of the enemy I ordered Captain Nelson, commanding a company of Partisan Rangers, to charge the retreating masses of the enemy. This was promptly and admirably obeyed, the result being the capture of numerous prisoners. In passing a deserted camp of the enemy I found from some of the wounded that General Nelson with re-enforcements had arrived after the second battle. A march of 2 miles brought us within sight of the town, in front of which and on a commanding ridge, with both flanks resting upon woods, Nelson had determined to make a final stand. For the third time Churchill with a brigade (McNair's) was sent off to the left, when a deafening roar of musketry soon announced the raging of a furious combat. In the meanwhile Preston Smith, bringing up his division at a double-quick, formed with wonderful precision and rapidity in front of the enemy's center and left. Almost without waiting for the commands of the officers this division