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[624]

Major King, Fifteenth United States infantry, had his battalion drawn up in open field, where he commanded the road; Major Carpenter, Nineteenth United States infantry, was to his left, and in the road, which at that point makes an abrupt turn. Being the ranking officer present, I posted the First Ohio behind the crest of a ridge in the skirt of woods to the rear of the open ground, and ordered the battalions of regulars to fall back across the field, and form on the same line, and to the right of the First Ohio.

In the mean time Lieut. Guenther had come up with a section of battery H, Fifth United States artillery.

Just as our line was formed the enemy appeared, marching by the flank up the hill, in front of where I had found Major King's command.

Lieut. Guenther, having got one of his pieces in position, opened with such effect as to check the progress of the enemy, and cause him to fall back under cover of the hill.

From this position the enemy advanced a strong line of skirmishers. To oppose these I deployed forward a company from each battalion of the regulars, company C, Capt. Thruston, and part of company B, Lieut. Kuhlmann, First Ohio.

The skirmishers became engaged at once, and very warmly.

Major Drake at this time reported to me with the Forty-ninth Ohio volunteers, and was sent to a position on the right, and deflected at nearly a right angle to Major King, and was ordered to cover his front and right flank with skirmishers. I have no report from him, but believe there was no firing on his part of the line.

The guns of Lieut. Guenther commanded the road in front of our centre, so as to check any advance along it, and the enemy's main attack was directed against our left.

The skirmish-line in front of the First Ohio was strongly attacked, and at one time driven a short distance from the hill on which it was posted, but being reenforced, rallied and in turn drove the enemy back. For near four hours the firing here was strong and steady, and when the enemy had been driven from here he appears to have fallen back altogether, and to have given up the attack, as the firing was not resumed until our <*>oops had again taken up the march toward Maxville.

The section of Lieut. Guenther's battery was handled with the usual vigor and skill of that accomplished officer, and was very effective in checking the advance of the enemy, and in driving him from a dwelling-house, under cover of which he was making the most severe fire on our line of skirmishers. I must particularly commend Captain Thruston and Lieut. Kuhlmann, of the First Ohio, who bore the brunt of the enemy's attack.

The firing began a little after eight A. M., and the enemy was finally repulsed about one P. M.

I did not attempt to do more than hold our position and keep the enemy at bay, because I had been ordered to act strictly on the defensive. The attacking force, I have learned, from citizens and others, who saw the enemy marching up, was about two thousand five hundred to three thousand strong, mixed infantry and cavalry, with two howitzers, which latter were not used on us. Eleven of his dead, and two mortally wounded, were found on the field; but many other bodies were seen to be carried off by him. We got from him three Springfield muskets and one Harper's Ferry rifle.

Appended is a list of killed and wounded.

I am your obedient servant,

Ed. A. Parrott, Colonel First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. To Capt. C. A. Stearns, A. A.G. Second Division.
Killed.--Jos. A. Matthias, First Sergeant, Co, C, First Ohio; G. W. Ennis, private, do., do.; Henry Wolfstetter, do., do., do.; William Burghartt, do., Co. B, do.; J. W. Barnes, do., Co. C, Nineteenth U. S. infantry; Robert Putnam, Co. A, Fifteenth U. S. infantry.

wounded.--A. Kuhlmann, Second Lieutenant, Co. B, First Ohio; Jos. Leiber, Corporal, do., do.; John Hook, do., do., do., A. Snyder, private, Co. C, do.; I. P. Iddings, do., do., do.; H. Brelsford, Corporal, do., do.; Geo. King, private, Co. B, Nineteenth infantry; Mat. Preston, do., Co. E, do.

Killed, six; wounded, eight--total, fourteen.


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