Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[674] charged shortly afterwards, and the regiment placed on the right of the brigade. At about five P. M. we were ordered to commence the attack on the works, and we advanced across an open field and swamp, across a deep ravine, and up to the enemy's works, under a terrible fire from the enemy's line behind the works. As we advanced, we delivered our fire rapidly — drove the enemy from their breastworks, and breaking through the palisades, rushed over the works and through the embrasures of the forts, cheering and firing. The enemy, driven back, fought stubbornly. The enemy's batteries fired with seemingly little effect, injuring but few of our men. The left of the regiment was opposite to, and took, forts numbers fifteen and sixteen, and the centre and right to fort number seventeen, and the lunette near fort number eighteen, and fort number nineteen. The enemy having fallen back to the railroad, which served them as a breastwork (being about three feet higher than the adjacent ground), we reformed our line preparatory to advancing on them.

At this time Colonel Miller being wounded — I being next in rank, assumed command of the brigade, and turned over the command of the regiment to Lieutenant-Colonel Frank White.

Sufficient credit cannot be given to the officers and men of the regiment for their gallantry and for the promptitude in which every order was executed. To mention acts of individual bravery, would be to speak of every man of the regiment engaged. Special mention, however, is due Lieutenant-Colonel Frank White and the officers and men of the four companies engaged on the first instant, for their bravery and for the gallant manner in which they broke through the enemy's lines, ran over their artillery and sabred their men, and then in the face of such overwhelming numbers, cut their way out.

For the lists of killed and wounded and official figures, I respectfully refer you to Lieutenant Colonel F. White, to whom I turned over the regiment.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir — On the second instant the command of the regiment having been turned over to me by Colonel J. G. Vail shortly after passing through the enemy's works, and the enemy being in force in our front behind the railroad embankment and in the interior forts, I moved forward with the regiment, charged and drove the enemy from their position, and followed them into town so closely that they had no time to rally. On assuming command the regiment almost deployed as skirmishers, held all the ground between the Summerfield road on the left, and the enemy's works on the right, and in advancing into town we moved parallel with the western line of defences of the town, and inside of them, driving the enemy from all along the line, and taking all the forts from No. 18 to the river on the west side of town. We captured four pieces of artillery in the works, also their caissons. We took during the fight about three hundred prisoners, including most of the First Mississippi regiment, and a large portion of the Tenth Mississippi regiment, with the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, major, and adjutant, of the former regiment, Colonel White of the Eighth Mississippi, and a number of officers of inferior rank. The prisoners were sent to the rear, and were turned over to and picked up by various officers having charge of prisoners. We also captured the ordinance wagons of Armstrong's brigade, (two in number) destroyed the ammunition and retained the wagons. We took into action seventeen commissoned officers and four hundred and four enlisted men.

We lost as follows:

Killed--Enlisted men 12; total killed 12.

Wounded--Commissioned officers 7, enlisted men 73; total wounded 80. Aggregate killed and wounded 92.

To all the officers and men engaged I return my heartfelt thanks for their unflinching gallantry.

Respectfully submitted,

Captain — I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the engagements of April first and second:

On the morning of the first instant we moved at 5:30 o'clock from our camp near Randolph, and after passing through that place our advance struck the enemy and commenced skirmishing. The Seventy-second Indiana volunteers were in the advance, and four companies of that regiment under charge of Major L. S. Kilborn, were sent forward with instruction to press the enemy as vigorously as possible. This was done so effectively, charging them whenever they made a stand, that although they were skirmishing all the time our column was scarcely halted, until we arrived near a little station on the railroad, some five miles north of Plantersville, where we found the enemy in force, and seemingly determined to make a stand. The remainder of the Seventy-second Indiana Volunteers was here brought forward, dismounted, and formed on the left of the road, and at the same time I directed Colonel Vail, commanding Seventh Indiana volunteers, to send forward four companies armed with sabres to charge the enemy as soon as his lines were broken. They reported under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Frank White, and the Seventy-second Indiana volunteers having broken the first line of the enemy, Colonel White was at once ordered to charge the retreating