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the edge of the open field, to repel the advance of the enemy in that direction.
At this juncture the enemy turned their forces in the direction of the position occupied by you with the Fourteenth brigade, evidently with the view of driving back our forces and capturing our guns.
The Fourteenth brigade, encouraged and led on by you in person at their head, made an impetuous attack on the enemy, driving them back with great loss, saving our guns and advancing our lines.
As the regiments of that brigade were withdrawn, I ordered up the Thirteenth Kentucky to their position, and ordered the Ninth Kentucky and Fifty-ninth Ohio to my left, where they were placed in position by you. The Thirteenth Kentucky, led on by Col. Hobson, in a gallant charge upon the enemy, drove them back with great slaughter, forcing them to desert their guns, to which they had rallied, after having been driven back by the Fourteenth brigade under your command.
In this charge Col. Hobson, and Major Hobson, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel, and Capt. Towles, Acting Major, and Acting Adjutant Stewart, of the Thirteenth Kentucky, behaved with great coolness and courage; and with the exception of a recoil, caused by a portion of Wisconsin troops breaking through their lines, creating some disorder, they steadily led their brave men forward, driving the enemy before therm.
Major Hobson had his horse shot dead under him in this charge.
Lieutenant-Col. Edmonds of the rebel army, was killed in the attack.
About this time the enemy, with their battery placed in the thickly timbered woods across the open field, opened a fire on the Nineteenth Ohio, Col. Beatty, at the edge of the field, and with small arms from the grounds of the field, and the thick underbrush to the left of the field, which was returned.
The Colonel and Captain Manderson--Acting Major--holding their men steady, deported themselves, as did their officers and men, with coolness and courage, until the Colonel ordered them back to a position from under the fire of the enemy's battery.
The regiment fell back in good order, with the exception of a few men, and retained the position until the guns of the enemy were silenced by the well-directed fire of Captain Bartlett's battery.
Major Edwards, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel, was shot dead from his horse, and a number of privates killed and wounded.
I ordered Col. Beatty from the position which he had taken up to the left, and in advance of the position before occupied by him, into and under cover of the underbrush to the left of the old field, within supporting distance of Captain Bartlett's battery.
The enemy seemed to be deflecting his forces and making his attack upon the left of the centre, in the direction of Captain Mendenhall's battery, which had shelled them with fearful destruction, when Gen. Buell in person ordered the Ninth Kentucky, Col. Grider, and the Fifty-ninth Ohio, Col. Fyffe, to advance rapidly and engage and drive back the enemy.
Col. Grider led his men gallantly in the attack, well supported by most of his officers and men. The youthful Lieut. Underwood of that regiment behaved with the gallantry of a veteran soldier, going in advance of his men, and was shot through the sword-arm and lost his sword.
In this attack Col. Grider had three of his commissioned officers killed and ten wounded.
The Fifty-ninth Ohio,, Col. Fyffe, gallantly and bravely supported Col. Grider in this attack, and sustained a loss of six killed and twenty-one wounded. I refer to the reports from the commanders of these regiments for the details of their operations.
During the engagement on the left of your centre, you ordered me to withdraw the Nineteenth Ohio--Col. Beatty--from his position and advance him to the extreme left to report to and support Gen. Nelson, and ordered him up immediately, when you sent him forward to report to Gen. Nelson, where he remained until the battle was over.
I am gratified to state that General Nelson complimented him to me for his gallant bearing, and that of his command while under his orders.
Pending the engagement on the left of your centre, I was commanded by General Buell to order up Lieut.-Col. Maxwell with his regiment re-formed, and a portion of Wisconsin troops formed by my order under a Captain, and placed under command of Lieut.-Col. Maxwell, to advance and support Capt. Bartlett's battery.
The enemy being driven back by the gallant soldiers of our army at every point, the firing soon ceased along our whole lines from right to left, making it evident the battle was over, and a great victory won by the army of the Ohio.
It is proper to mention the gallant conduct of Capt. Boyle, my Assistant Adjutant-General and Acting Aid-de-Camp in the field, and my Aids-de-Camp Lieuts. Liggett and Hughes, all of whom displayed coolness and courage, and rendered efficient service.
Lieut. Farris, of the Fifth Kentucky cavalry, who had been serving as Regimental Quartermaster, by my permission acted as Aid-de-Camp, deported himself with fearless courage and coolness.
Capt. Lyne Starling, of your staff, besides bearing your orders in the midst of the hottest of the battle, rendered me efficient aid, for which I thank him.
For detailed operations of the regiments of this brigade, I refer to the accompanying reports from the commanding officers of the various regiments.
The casualties in my command amounted to two hundred and eight, thirty-seven killed and one hundred and sixty-five wounded. Lists of casualties of the respective regiments are handed herewith.
The officers and men of my command, with a few exceptions, behaved in a manner and spirit worthy of the great cause in which they are engaged and of our country.
J. T. Boyle, Brigadier-General, Commanding Eleventh Brigade Army of the Ohio.
