moment, and the balls mostly passed harmlessly over our heads. For about there hours four pieces of artillery belched forth their iron messengers of death with the utmost rapidity, while my skirmishers reported them supported by about eleven regiments of infantry, hence outnumbering us then to one.

My skirmishers, Company H, under direction of Captain David Kelly, had held their ground bravely, but, having several men wounded, I re-enforced them by Company E, which harassed them [the enemy] exceedingly, after driving their cannoneers from their pieces and keeping them back, while the ground in front of us was such that the rebels could not advance skirmishers without exposing them to the unerring aim of my men. Later I relieved Company H by Company K, and the firing having ceased about dark, we were ordered to sleep on our arms, the pickets but about 50 yards in front of us, my right on the SEVENTEENTH Ohio Battery.

My loss in this day's engagement was 5 men wounded, while a large number of prisoners were taken by my regiment, Captain Kelly bringing in 13 at one time, who were cut off by our rapid advance. The Sixty-seventh Regiment here again held the left of the brigade, supported by the Twenty-THIRD Wisconsin.

On the 17th, at daylight, we again advanced in line of battle, well protected by skirmishers, but soon found that the rebels had skedaddle in a perfect panic, throwing away their guns and accouterments; in fact, leaving their battery behind. We passed undisturbed through Edwards Station, marching by the right flank, the Sixty-seventh Indiana in rear of the battery, gathering up quite a number of prisoners as we proceeded.

Arriving within about 3 miles of Black River Bridge, I again received orders to form my regiment in line of battle on the left of the Eighty-THIRD Ohio, the Twenty-THIRD Wisconsin Regiment supporting, deploying Company A as skirmishers to the front. We advanced by the rapid rate, and though many of my men had not had a bite to eat since the previous night on picket, at this moment, in sight of the rebel breast-works at Black River, all fatigue was forgotten, and, with a shout unequaled, forward we went on the double-quick, over plowed fields and across bayous, to receive the surrender of the Sixtieth Tennessee (rebel) Regiment. The flag of the Sixty-seventh was the first on the breast-works. From this point, marching up Black River by the right flank for about 1 mile, we reached Black River Bridge, resting here for the remainder of the day, until the bridges could be completed.

On the 18th, at 11 a. m., we crossed the river, your brigade taking the extreme advance, my regiment following the SEVENTEENTH Ohio Battery, and marching by the right flank on the Jackson road toward Vicksburg, encamping for the night, on our arms, within 2 miles of the rebel works in rear of Vicksburg.

At daylight on the 19th, we advanced by the right flank to within a mile of the forts, when I was ordered to form line of battle on the left of the brigade. In this position we advanced to within 500 yards of the forts, skirmishing as we proceeded. The Sixty-seventh Indiana, advancing on the Jackson road, all at once found itself saluted by a shell and a volley of musketry from the breastworks just when the left wing of the regiment was separated from the right by a burning building, set on fire by the rebels early in the morning. A few steps more and my regiment must have been exposed to the enfilading fire of four