our ability to hold the position against all attack. At daylight the works were pretty well completed, and the cutting of the small trees in our front formed such an effective abatis that no fear of a capture of our position could reasonably be entertained. The day passed quietly, our litter-bearers being engaged during a short truce in exchanging the rebel dead for those of our own fallen comrades, in which exchange, with accustomed liberality, they at least gave five for one, reversing the southern idea that one Southern man was worth as much as five Northern. The next day the officer in charge of skirmish line reported that three caissons of the Second U. S. Artillery, filled with ammunition, were in front of our lines. I therefore directed a temporary advance of our skirmish line, and with a strong fatigue party succeeded in bringing them safe within our line. One army wagon loaded with forage was still farther out, and in our endeavors to save it also the enemy opened fire; one round shot struck and broke one wheel; it was therefore abandoned as not of sufficient value to risk the lives of the men for it. The balance of the day passed quietly, with the exception of some little shelling, as did also this day.

The brigade consisted of the following regiments with the effective force (muskets) on the 22nd as herein set forth: Third Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Meumann, 135; Twelfth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Kaercher, 170; Seventeenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Romer, 141; Twenty-ninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Major Murphy, 151; Thirty-first Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Simpson, 122; Thirty-second Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Major Seay, 149; total, 868.

We captured 25 prisoners, including 2 commissioned officers, 20 during the day and 5 during the night, and lost 4 wounded, 3 of the Twelfth of 1 of the Third Missouri. Captain Burkhardt, Twenty-ninth Missouri, while out with the skirmishers, was taken prisoner.

The only disappointment the officers and men of this brigade experienced was their inability to show by actual combat with the enemy that they were worthy to stand side by side in the defense of their country with the veterans of the Seventeenth Army Corps, whose fighting qualities they witnessed and admired on the memorable July 22, 1864, without being able, from their position, to participate therein.

Respectfully submitted.

HUGO WANGELIN,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Lieutenant-Colonel ALEXANDER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Seventeenth Army Corps.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
August 5, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders just received, I hereby submit report of the part taken by this brigade in the engagement with the enemy July 28, 1864.

Having arrived late at night (July 27) near the place which was to be the position to be occupied by the First Division, after a few