Volunteers in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., on the 9th instant: At or about 8.30 a. m. the regiment moved out of camp and advanced with the brigade upon the enemy. The brigade commander ordered the regiment to take position upon the right of the Twenty-fifth New Your Battery and support the same. Our position was a very strong one. Immediately upon getting into line I deployed Company A, under Lieutenant Mullings, as skirmishers, on the right flank and some 100 paces in front of the right of the regiment. This company was engaged with the skirmishers of the enemy until 12 m., when the officers commanding reported the enemy to be extending his line for the purpose of flanking our right or cutting us off. I sent forward Company B to assist A, and refilled the boxes of A with cartridges. These companies were engaged until about 4.30, when the enemy opened with artillery upon the battery on the left of the regiment (Twenty-fifth New York). In a very short time the battery we were supporting retreated. The enemy shelled the timber in our rear some minutes after our battery left the ground, wounding 4 of the regiment badly. A force of rebel cavalry consisting of some 350 then charged upon us. We let them advance within 50 paces before a gun was fired, when we poured a volley upon them and threw them in confusion. Ordering the men to reload we continued firing until we literally annihilated them. As the few that remained retreated the artillery of the enemy again opened upon us with grape, canister, and shell, and continued firing some ten minutes, when I observed their infantry advancing massed in column upon us. Such was our position that I left satisfied we could successfully repel any force brought against us in front. As the advance column of the enemy reached the hill in front I ordered the regiment to fire. It responded as one man. I then ordered a charge on the staggered column. As we rushed on with cheers they gave back. Finding we had cleared the hill, i recalled the regiment to its original position. Again and again did the enemy press our front, and we fought each other at 15 paces. Every effort made by them resulted in their discomfiture. At length they appeared upon our right flank in force, and poured volley after volley upon us. Exposed ass the regiment was to a heavy cross-fire against such numbers I ordered them to fall back, which they did disputing every foot. At the open field in rear of the timber the regiment reformed, and here we lost the most of our men. The color-sergeant was shot down, when Corporal Young seized the colors, and he too fell. Corporal Baker then took and retained possession of the colors during the balance of the time we were engaged in the fight. Our ammunition being expended I withdrew the regiment until the colonel commanding brigade reformed the brigade and issued ammunition, assigning us position on the right of the brigade, where we remained under arms until ordered to march in the morning. We went into action with 1 field officer, 1 acting adjutant, and 9 line officers, and 400 men. Our loss is as follows: Killed, 9; wounded, 70; wounded and missing, 10; missing, 7; total, 96. Every officer and man in the regiment obeyed orders implicitly and did his duty fearlessly and as an American soldier.

Respectfully submitted.

ROBT. W. FYAN,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Captain C. T. GRANGER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

24 R R - VOL XXXIV, PT I