into camp on the slope of the hill, on the right of the road, at the entrance to the middle ravine. We were here very much exposed to the enemy's shells, several of which came near knocking down the stacks of my muskets; but as night was settling in, we were soon relieved from annoyance, and lay down and slept soundly.

During this day's skirmish I lost only 1 man wounded. We killed 1 of the enemy, and took 1 prisoner. I do not know how many we wounded, as the enemy had every opportunity of removing them while we were climbing the hill. Their wounded was about all they did remove.

At night four companies of my regiment went on picket.

On the morning of the 25th, my four companies were relieved from picket, and we remained where we encamped the night before without any important event until about 2 p.m., when the pickets in our front belonging to General Willich's brigade, were heavily pressed by the enemy, and soon a pretty sharp engagement ensued.

I soon received orders to hasten to their support, and we advanced rapidly to the foot of the slope on the east side of the middle ravine, where we were joined by the Seventy-ninth Illinois Volunteers, of our brigade, thence to the middle of the ravine, where, by General Johnson's orders, we formed line of battle, stretching across the ravine, my regiment occupying the right and the Seventy-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers the left. We here found two of General Willich's regiments slowly retreating, as they were nearly out of ammunition, but they were making good use of what they had left.

I here received orders to advance rapidly against the enemy, which orders were carried into execution as fast as human bone and sinew can produce locomotion. In less time than is worth mentioning we gained the low ridge running across the ravine, from which our pickets had been driven. I had no orders to halt here, and pressed vigorously on, through showers of the enemy's missiles, to the open plain in our front, at the exit from the middle ravine. This plain was planted with corn. It was about 400 or 500 yards to the opposite side, where it was bounded by an irregular ridge of hills of from 60 to 100 feet elevation. The main force of the rebels occupied this ridge, with their artillery posted on their left, on the least elevated and most sloping portion of the ridge. The position of the ridge in my front gave them opportunity to form their main line of battle in a triangle, conceiving so as to expose our two regiments to the fire of their artillery and nearly all their musketry at the same time. My men here began to fall rapidly. Colonel Miller, the commander of the brigade, was at this time wounded, and I was left in command, but did not know it then, as he was wounded in the ravine through which we had just passed and I was forward with my regiment. I determined to cross the plain through the enemy's fire and gain the foot of the ridge where the enemy were posted. My object in doing this was threefold: First, I had no orders to halt; second, I would lose fewer men in gaining that point and holding it than to remain where I was, and, third, I would be in close range with the enemy, and could there make every shot count, and I also felt confident I could drive him from the hills.

I adjusted my line and assumed general command of both regiments, being the senior officer. I then rapidly advanced to the attack. No greater bravely is required in warfare than to execute an attack like this. The plain we were obliged to cross proved to be one of mud, where the men sunk to their shoe-tops at every step. The enemy were drawn up in three lines in our front: the first a strong line of skirmishers at the foot of the hills; the second a line of battle about half way up the