Transcription:
to take a position about three hundred yards in his
rear. When Col. Steedman's line fell back that
evening some portion of which were in confusion, it formed
to the right and left of mine. After our line advanced
that night, by order of Col. Steedman Through the darkness
without skirmishes, and our [repulse?] by the concealed
enemy, my regiment was ordered back to camp by Col. S.
I worked with all of my available force that night,
and until the morning of the 27th, when I sent by
orders of Col. Steedman, Lieut. Col. Lee with six companies
of my regiment to his assistance, in the woods. Lieut Col
Lee informs me that his command was the last to give
away, and did not retreat for (want of orders) until
he was nearly surrounded, himself badly wounded and the remainder of the line
broken and in confusion. Seeing Col. Steedmans right
wing - which was the left of my front - heavily pressed
and in danger of being flanked, I ordered Lieut. Edrington
to open upon him with schrapnel and shell. He fired
with great rapidity, coolness, and precision. He soon
checked this advance, thereby enabling my men to retreat
back to my position. The enemy soon planted a battery
of six guns in my immediate front, in the edge of the
woods distant about four hundred yards. A shell from
one of these guns struck one of the wheels of Lieut.
Edrington's guns & exploding instantly killed him and
wounded two of his cannoniers and disabled the gun.
