as it is asserted by prisoners taken that the enemy had 21,000 men, 10,000 of whom were in reserve. The day was excessively warm, and many of our men fell from sunstroke and exhaustion. There being no water in our reach, the men suffered exceedingly for want of it. The position occupied by this brigade was the most exposed, as will be seen from the loss, which is 13 commissioned officers and 146 enlisted men killed and wounded.

Too much praise cannot be given to the officers and men who participated in this engagement. Each one seemed to think that success depended upon his own individual exertions and governed himself accordingly. To their extraordinary coolness and bravery is attributed the success of the engagement against such vastly superior numbers. It is proper here to state that the last charge of the brigade was conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Hervey Craven, of the Eighty-ninth Indiana Volunteers. My horse having been killed in the first charge and fallen upon my left beg, I was compelled, after reforming the brigade and moving it forward, to transfer the command temporarily to him. Of acts of personal bravery I am unable to speak, as all did so well it is almost impossible to particularize. The killed and wounded of the brigade were with two exceptions carried from the field. We took several prisoners in each charge, but I am not able to give the exact number. To Lieutenant Colonel Hervey Craven and Major Samuel Henry, of the Eighty-ninth Indiana Volunteers; Captain R. W. Healy, commanding Fifty-eighth Illinois Volunteers; Lieutenant Colonel Samuel E. Taylor and Major W. H. Watson, of the One hundred and nineteenth Illinois Volunteers; Lieutenant George Sawin, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant William Wallis, acting assistant inspector-general, First Brigade, and to Captain George R. Brown, Ninth Indiana Battery, I tender my thanks, and to all the officers and men under my command for their coolness and bravery in this engagement. My only cause of regret is that so many brave and good men fell at the hands of the enemy.

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

THOMAS J. KINNEY,

Colonel 119th Illinois Infantry, Commanding Brigade.

Captain J. B. SAMPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 40. Report of Major Thomas Newlan, Fifty-eighth Illinois Infantry, of engagement at Pleasant Hill.

HDQRS. FIFTY-EIGHTH Regiment ILLINOIS INFANTRY VOLS., Grand Ecore, La., April 12, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report regarding action taken by this regiment in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., on the 9th instant: At 10 a. m., April 9, our brigade moved from the camping-ground of the previous night, about 1 mile east of the scene of action, and took position on the field of Pleasant Hill, in front of the white house used as General Banks' headquarters, in the following order, viz: In two lines, the Ninth Indiana Battery and Eighty-ninth Indiana Infantry forming the first and the One hundred and