difficulty, I aroused an officer who was pointed out as his assistant adjutant-general. From him i learned that General Dwight away, but said he would send me word as soon as he returned. After waiting some time, I again went to his headquarters, but was unable to learn where he could be found. The enemy's skirmishers had now (3 p. m.) passed my right, and my skirmishers were pressed so closely that it had become necessary to support them with another company. I again went in search of General Dwight, and this time found him after a great deal of difficulty. He appeared to understand my position, and promised to send the necessary support; this he not only failed to do, but withdrew farther to the rear. At about 4 p. m. General Stone rode to the front. I rode with him along my line, showing him the change that had been made from Emory's original line and the necessity of a corresponding change in Dwight's line. After examining this part of the field his remark was, "Your position is well chosen; it is admirable; it could not be better. i will see that your flanks are properly supported, for this position must be held at all hazards," and immediately passed to my rear, as supposed, to give the necessary orders, but no orders came. A few moments before 5 o'clock the enemy opened heavily on me with artillery, which was replied to feebly, for a few moments, by the Twenty-fifth New York Battery, when they limbered up and disgracefully left the field, leaving one caisson and one gun in the road, which were drawn off by Lieutenant Buell, of my staff. At the same time General Dwight fell entirely out of my sight to the rear. While my battery was leaving a dash was made by the enemy's cavalry to capture it, but they were so well received by the Fourteenth Iowa and Twenty-fourth Missouri that not a single man escaped, their leader, Colonel Bagley [Buchel], falling dead in the ranks of the Fourteenth Iowa. This attack was followed by their infantry, which advanced in two lines, extending beyond both my right and left. They advanced steadily and in good order across the open field in my front, until they got within easy range; then my whole line opened upon them, stopping their advance but not preventing them from replying vigorously to my fire, causing heavy loss. My men held their ground, keeping up a steady and well-directed fire, which soon compelled their first line to fall back in disorder. In the mean time fighting had commenced on my left, and our line to my left had fallen back, so as to enable the enemy to pass in rear of my left. They had also passed around my right and were firing on my flank, when their second line advanced, and i was again engaged along my whole front.

At this time I received an order from General Smith to fall back, as the enemy was getting in my rear. My staff officers having all been dispatched to different officers for support, and being myself on the right of my brigade, i had to ride to the left in rear of my brigade to give the order to withdraw. The brush and timber was so thick I could scarcely see 10 paces as I passed down the line. I sent the order to Colonel Gilbert, Twenty-seventh Iowa, to fall back as soon as the regiment on his right should commence retreating. I then pushed on to give the necessary orders to Colonel Scott, Thirty-second Iowa, when I met the enemy's forces entirely in his rear, preventing me from communicating with him. I was therefore compelled to leave him to act without orders. Hurrying back to the right, I found the Twenty-fourth Missouri had been compelled to change its front to receive the attack from the right; also that the