led against them,
and after their advance had been checked, seeing that our
lines were completely flanked on both sides, Major Ward gave
the order to retire, which was done in good order, forming
and charging the enemy twice before reaching the rear of the
train.

'With the assistance of Major Ward and other officers, I
succeeded in forming a portion of the 1st Kansas Colored in
the rear of the 18th Iowa, and when the enemy approached
this line, they gallantly advanced to the line of the 18th,
and with them poured in their fire. The 18th maintained
their line manfully, and stoutly contested the ground until
nearly surrounded, when they retired, and forming again,
checked the advancing foe, and still held their ground until
again nearly surrounded, when they again retired across a
ravine which was impassable for artillery, and I gave orders
for the piece to be spiked and abandoned.

'After crossing the ravine I succeeded in forming a portion
of the cavalry, which I kept in order to give the infantry
time to cross the swamp which lay in our front, which they
succeeded in doing. By this means nearly all, except the
badly wounded, were enabled to reach the camp. Many wounded
men belonging to the 1st Kansas Colored fell into the hands
of the enemy, and I have the most positive assurance from
eyewitnesses that they were murdered on the spot. I was
forced to abandon everything to the enemy, and they thereby
became possessed of the large train.

'With two six pounder guns and two twelve pounder mountain
howitzers, together with what force could be collected, I
made my way to this post, where I arrived at 11 P. M. of the
same day.

'At no time during the engagement, such was the nature of
the ground and size of the train, was I obliged to employ
more than five hundred men and two guns to repel the
assaults of the enemy, whose force, from the statement of
prisoners, I estimate at ten thousand men and twelve guns.
The columns of assault which were again thrown against my
front and right flank consisted of five regiments of
infantry and one of cavalry, supported by a strong force
which operated against my left flank and rear. My loss, in
killed, wounded and missing during this engagement was as
follows: Killed--ninety-two,