first taken, their right resting on the creek, their left to some extent protected by a marsh, while in front was an open field. The Thirty-third Iowa and Fiftieth Indiana now fell back behind this line not far from where Colonel Engleman’s Brigade was stationed. In a short time the battle was raging furiously, requiring all the troops on the right bank of the river and reënforcements from those who had already crossed. General Rice of Iowa here commanded and as the regiments came to his aid, personally posted them as advantageously as possible. The Confederates hurled three divisions against our little army, each of which was repulsed with great slaughter. At one time a movement against our right flank was threatened and the Forty-third Illinois and a detachment of the Fortieth Iowa were sent to the point of danger, driving the enemy back. The Confederates now advanced from all quarters in a grand attack upon our left and center, forcing our line on the left, held by the Thirty-third Iowa, which had stood its ground until the ammunition was exhausted. Four companies of the Fortieth under Colonel Garrett, marched rapidly by the left flank to the support of the Thirty-third and, forming under a withering fire, restored the line. Within an hour these regiments had advanced more than half a mile, driving the enemy entirely from the field. It was a battle of musketry. A section of Confederate artillery was planted and fired one round when the Twenty-ninth Iowa and Second Kansas, colored, charged across the filed and brought the guns back in triumph. The battle was fought largely by the brigades of General Rice and Colonel Englemann on the Union side. At half-past twelve o’clock the Confederates had retired from the field and the Union army crossed the river in safety. The battle was fought in the mud where the men sunk to their horses’ knees and in many places stood in water up to their own. The Fortieth did not fight in a body at any time during the engagement. Early in the morning two companies under Captain Campbell had
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