Buell, of staff, I return my warmest thanks for their able assistance during the action. My warmest gratitude is due to my orderly. Frederick Nolan, Company K, Fourteenth Iowa, for his constant presence whenever needed during the hottest of the action, and in the most exposed position.

In clothing this report I have to state that, although under General Emory's orders, and the farthest advanced of any troops in the field, and skirmishing with the enemy for six hours before the attack commenced, I neither saw General Emory or any of his staff until after the fighting had ceased, nor was I able to find him, although I dispatched several messengers to him to report the situation of affairs. Inclosed herewith please find plan* of that part of the battle field occupied by my brigade.

WM. T. SHAW,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain J. B. SAMPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., May 26, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the part taken by my brigade in the action of Bayou De Glaize, May 18, 1864.

My brigade was placed in reserve at the commencement of the action. I was ordered to send forward a regiment to support a battery on the right. I sent forward Major-Fyan, Twenty-fourth Missouri. I next sent to the my two Napoleon guns, under Lieutenant Burns, Third Indiana Battery, my two James rifles having already been engaged under Lieutenant Ginn. I was next ordered to send another regiment up to support the batteries on the left. I sent forward the Fourteenth Iowa, commanded by Captain L. A. Crane. This left but two regiments in reserve, viz, Thirty-second Iowa, Major Eberhart commanding, and Twenty-seventh Iowa, Colonel Gilbert commanding. I soon perceived that the enemy was pressing closely our left, and without waiting orders I ordered the two regiments in reserve to move slowly to the left while I rode to the front to see how the battle went. I soon saw that the cavalry on the left had given way, and that the enemy was turning was turning our left flank. I immediately ordered the reserve into line at double-quick, fronting to the left, when the enemy made their appearance through the timber in their front, but a well-directed fire from the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-second Iowa, the Ninth Indiana Battery, and the two 12-pounder Napoleons of the Third Indiana Battery, also the Fourteenth Iowa, which had changed its front, soon sent them back with heavy loss. The enemy, having been heavily re-enforced, again advanced, when I was ordered to move forward and meet him. I moved forward, meeting him in the edge of the timber, driving him out of the timber, across an open field, under the protection of their artillery, inflicting upon him heavy loss. I then halted and withdrew with the balance of the line out of range of canister, and remained till dark, when we fell back to the ground occupied the night before. My list of casualties I have already forwarded. My loss, though heavy, is comparatively

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* Not found.

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