No. 113.-report of Col. David A. Enyart, First Kentucky Infantry.
Hdqrs. First Regiment Kentucky Volunteers, April 9, 1862.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of this regiment in the action of the 6th and 7th instant:
We arrived at Pittsburg Landing about 5.30 o'clock on the 6th instant, when we were immediately marched up to the lines, but night coming, on the darkness caused a cessation of hostilities, when we were told by General Nelson to lay on our arms and be ready for any emergency, which we did, and according to orders sent out two companies of skirmishers, where they staid all night.
About 4 o'clock we received orders to advance in line, which we did immediately, our skirmishers keeping about 300 yards in advance.
After marching so for about half a mile we encountered the rebel pickets and drove them steadily back under a galling fire for about 1 mile, when they took to the woods, where they had a battery of three guns, which they opened on us, without doing much damage, when our pickets, Company A, Captain Wheeler, and Company G, Captain Mitchell, together with a portion of a company from the Ninth Indiana, charged and took the guns, but could not hold them, as a regiment of rebel infantry opened a deadly fire on them from the bushes and caused them to fall back, which they did in good order, keeping up a steady fire on the enemy until they were relieved by the Nineteenth Brigade and three pieces of artillery.
The enemy being forced back, our pickets again advanced to the rebel lines, taking up their old position, till they were told to keep the field, but not bring on a general engagement until our reserves came up.
After the engagement became general we were ordered to sustain the Nineteenth Brigade, Colonel Hazen's, which we did by changing direction to the right, coming up on his left and front, where we were ordered to halt, the enemy having fallen back, and send two more companies (Companies I, Captain Hogan, and C, Captain Hunt) of skirmishers and feel the rebel front, but they having fallen back to the right and opened fire on the Sixth Kentucky, our skirmishers advanced to assist them, doing good service, and in a few minutes the remaining four companies were ordered to advance and take up a position on a ridge in an open field, where the rebels directed a tremendous fire at our front from a battery of artillery and two or three regiments of infantry, our men holding their position.
The deadly fire of the enemy killing some and-wounding a great many of our men, we were ordered to fall back into the woods, and the enemy again changing his position to his right (our left), we were ordered to protect our left flank, where we
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were met by a large force, who seemed determined to turn our flank but with the assistance of two companies of the Second Kentucky and a part of the Twentieth Kentucky and three pieces of artillery we managed to check and repel them, driving them before us a considerable distance, when we again received orders to halt and rally our men. We then advanced again and occupied the camps and hills on the extreme left of our lines, throwing our pickets and skirmishers fully half a mile in advance of any position we had before occupied, when we received orders to get our men together and proceed to camp.
I cannot in justice make any distinction in regard to the conduct of the officers and men, as all did their best and acted nobly, but I think it is but fair to state that the coolness and courage of LieutenantColonel Leiper, Major Cahill, and Adjutant Wright, in encouraging and rallying the men, deserve great praise.
Captains Barr, Becker, and Hadlock; also Lieutenant Smith, commanding Company F, are entitled to great credit for the manner in which they conducted themselves; also the sergeant who carried the orders.
