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sergeants, seven corporals, and forty-six privates.
Total wounded, sixty.
Missing--twelve privates.
Aggregate killed, wounded, and missing--eighty-four.
Pursuant to your order on Saturday morning, the thirteenth instant, I proceeded with my regiment in the direction of Gen. McClernard's extreme right, following the guide you sent me. I passed Gen. McClernand at his headquarters, and he ordered me to go at double-quick.
The guide continued with me, leading me within range of the enemy's guns, until we passed in the rear of one of our batteries on the hill, when the guide left me, directing me to proceed around the hill.
I then proceeded in utter ignorance of the point at which I was needed, and the position of the enemy, until I came up in the rear of one of Gen. McClernand's regiments, when the Colonel came running down to me, and appealed to me to come to his rescue, stating that his men were about out of ammunition.
I halted my regiment — formed them — and led them up in the face of a most galling fire.
My officers and men marched upon it with the coolness and firmness of regulars, and opened a most deadly fire upon the enemy.
After some time two officers came up, and, without consulting me, ordered my men to forward down the line.
My men then moved down the line under a most deadly fire from the enemy, when I again opened fire upon them; and whilst my men were fighting as bravely and gallantly as men ever fought, some officers came up on my extreme right and ordered them to cease firing; that some of my men were firing upon them off to my right.
About this time the line gave way upon the right of my regiment, moving through and breaking the line, when my command fell back, a number of the officers and men fighting as they retired.
The regiment was subsequently re-formed and entered the action.
Respectfully yours,
J. M. Shackelford, Colonel Twenty-fifth Regiment Kentucky Volunteers.
[B.]
Fort Henry, February 18, 1862.
Colonel: On the morning of the fifteenth instant, my regiment, numbering five hundred and ten men, preceded by the Twenty-fifth Kentucky and the Thirty-first Indiana, took up our march, leaving behind our blankets, knapsacks, and a few great-coats.
Hearing brisk firing on our right, we followed close upon the Thirty-first, and soon passed the right of the line of battle, when the enemy opened fire upon my right wing from behind clumps of bushes and trees, that entirely concealed them from our men. My regiment, with the exception of two companies on the left, were driven back from the line.
I promptly rallied them on the next hill, and being joined by Capts. Vaughn and Davidson's company, from whom we had become separated — the regiment was moved forward and supported the Forty-fourth Indiana on our left, which had sustained a severe shock from the enemy.
We soon met the enemy and drove them back from the position they occupied against us. The firing at this point was deadly and severe.
I am greatly indebted to Lieut.-Col. Stout and Major Cahoun, for their successful efforts in encouraging the men, and keeping them in their proper places in line of battle, under fire of the enemy.
Their efforts were particularly successful at this point, but their services were faithful and unceasing during the whole day. Lieut.-Col. Stout's horse was severely wounded at this place.
About this time Col. Logan, of Illinois, rode up and informed me that his regiment had entered between me and the enemy, and the brigade was by your order withdrawn a short distance.
Soon the enemy were discovered in force on our left, where they encountered our troops and had a terrible battle, in which some fifty of my regiment, (who had been separated at the first attack of the enemy,) were engaged under Adjutant Staling.
This engagement was at the place where the regiment had encamped the night previous, and resulted most disastrously to our knapsacks and blankets, which had been left hanging upon the trees.
My regiment, with the Thirty-first and Forty-fourth Indiana, was withdrawn to the top of a neighboring hill, where we soon discovered the enemy in large force; we were ordered down, and I was instructed to throw my regiment out on the right with a view of attacking the enemy, who occupied a strong position on a hill among the trees where they could see us, and were at the some time entirely concealed from our view.
I ordered a charge up the hill, which, although hotly contested, was successful.
All of the officers and men behaved gallantly in this engagement.
Capt. Barrett led the charge on the right, and he as well as his men, behaved nobly during the engagement.
Capts. Morton, Vaughn, and Davidson were in the thickest of the fight, cheering their men, who behaved as gallantly as troops under the same circumstances could possibly have done.
You witnessed this conflict, however, and are probably better prepared to describe it than I am myself.
My regiment by your order bivouacked upon this hill, where we remained during the night and rose with the determination of renewing the attack, when we learned the enemy had surrendered.
Captain Beckham, Lieutenants Brown, Keith, Harrison, Myers, Briggs, Davis, and Bandy, deserve mention for their unceasing attention to their men during the whole day, and I feel proud I have received this positive evidence of their good qualities as officers.
Lieutenants Taylor and Rogers, in command of a company, behaved gallantly during the day.
Below you have a list of casualties in my regiment:
Co. A, Captain Morton Commanding. Badly wounded — John Harl, James McDonald, Samuel 