engaged. I then ordered the line forward, and they charged up the hill and into the houses in front of us, driving the rebels toward their works.

The enemy then opened his battery on us, which was sheltered by a strong work on the road. I placed two pieces of Foster's First Wisconsin Battery in position on the right of the road, and returned the fire. I also posted another section of the same battery on the left of the road, in the timber, and, after firing about a dozen rounds, I found it to be too close to the enemy's works, as they to the advantage in position at the number of pieces. I ordered it to the rear, after a loss of 3 men wounded, 3 horses killed, and one of the pieces almost disabled, it having been struck twice by shells from the enemy's, works. We remained at this point the remainder of the day, keeping two companies, from each regiment skirmishing with the enemy, at about 400 yards distant from his works.

July 11, we still held the ground gained the day before, until about 2 p. m., when we were ordered to change our position, and take the one held by General A. J. Smith, who was next on our right, he having been ordered to move farther to the right, for the purpose of extending our lines. We got into position about 3 p. m., when I was ordered to advance my line, which I did by having a brisk little skirmish fight with the enemy's pickets, who were several hundred yards outside of the lines of their works. We drove them back. But in a short time they came back with quite a force, and charged my line of skirmishers, who bornly that, after I ordered up one section of Lanphere's battery and threw a few shells into their midst, and the stubborn resistance of Captain Holcroft's line of skirmishers, they went back to their works on the double-quick, with a loss to themselves of 2 men killed, which we buried from they the next day. They left six Enfield rifles on the ground fought over, which I suppose belonged to their wounded, taken off with them. Captain Holcroft, company H, forty-NINTH Indiana, deserves the highest praise for the stubborn resistance to their sortie. We remained at this point that night, the men sleeping with their arms in their hands. During the night I had works thrown up for four pieces of artillery, which were put into position before daylight.

July 12., our line of skirmishers kept up a busy fire on the enemy during the day. After dark we obtained a few shovels and picks, and dug rifle-pits, which covered our entire front.

July 13, our skirmishers kept up a brisk fire upon the enemy, which was answered by them with a great deal of precision.

July 14, skirmishing continued all day without any loss on our side, our men being well covered with pits, dug during the night.

July 15, skirmishing along the line until we received orders that there would be a truce until 4 p. m. We were relieved at 10 p. m. by a brigade of General Tuttle's DIVISION.

July 16, moved on the rear, and made the men as comfortable as possible.

On the morning of the 17th, learned that the enemy had evacuated the city. One hundred and eighteenth Illinois was detached from the brigade on the 12th instant; have, made no report to these headquarters since that time. The regiments in the brigade suffered a great quite a number of cases of sunstroke having occurred, a few only proving fatal. A large number of men were taken with chills and fever, and were on no service to the brigade. After we arrived at Jackson, a large number had to be transported back to the camps at Big Black