right, where he had been drawn into the woods by the belief, from the sound of the firing, that the attack was upon our right. Upon receipt of my order, however, Colonel Smith moved rapidly across the main road down the ravine valley on our left, where he fortunately struck upon the most advantageous route, and thence he move dup the opposite hill, entirely pas the right flank of the enemy. But as I had been unable to find the Twelfth Regiment to send to his support (through I have since learned that three companies under Lieutenant-Colonel White had joined him), his movement became principally a reconnaissance, from which he soon after returned, reporting to me his opinion of the entire practicability of a successful attack upon the rebel entrenchments at that point, he having entirely passed by the breastwork on the right, approaching within about one hundred yards of their lines, pouring a fire into them which it is since satisfactorily ascertained cleared that part of that breastwork of the enemy.

As I was still unable to ascertain the position of the Twelfth Regiment, which it has ben reported to me had been ordered into the woods by the commanding general, I sent one of my staff to Colonel McCook, commanding the Second Brigade, to ask him to aid the Thirteenth in this attack with his Ninth Regiment, to which request a reply was returned to me that there were other orders from the commanding general, as stated to my aid by Assistant Adjutant-General Captain Hartsuff. In this state of affair I could only hold my position in front with the Tenth Regiment protecting the artillery, which was endeavoring to silence the cannon of the enemy, which was to a considerable extent accomplished after the first fifteen or twenty minutes, their guns being removed to other positions, as was then done also with one-half of Schneider's and McMullin's pieces, to enfilade the crest of the hill from the edge of the woods on our right, which gave a fair view of their battery at some 380 yards' distance.

At about this time, or one hour after the commencement of the action, Colonel Lytle, of the Tenth, though not ordered by me, and while I was still endeavoring to obtain troops for the attack from our left, made a very gallant attempt to approach their battery through the cleared space in front of it with a portion of his command, which of course failed from the smallness of his force in that exposed situation, he himself being severely wounded and compelled to retire, with the loss of several of his men killed and wounded.

Colonel Lowe, of the Twelfth, also at a subsequent period made a similar attempt, and, as far as I can learn, without orders, in which, I regret to say, he fell, being instantly killed by a discharge of canister from the enemy.

The above comprises the sum of the action of the portion of my brigade that was with me until you arrived on the field and assumed the direction of affairs; some time after which arrival you also arranged for and directed this attack upon their right with Colonel Smith's regiment and a part of the Twelfth hand the Forty-seventh, Colonel Moor. This attack, as having been directed by myself, you will recollect, I offered to lead upon the enemy, recommending at the same time a simulations demonstration or attack by the Ninth and Twelfth Regiments under cover of the woods from our right. The command moved forward, however, under direction of Colonel smith, but from the lateness of the hour it was compelled to return without attempting anything, and the lateness of the hour then seemed to forbid further operations for the day.

There remains now but the grateful duty of acknowledging the valuable services of the different commanders and other officers as far as known to me in this brigade, provisionally assigned tome within the past week only..