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but it stopped within about four feet from where I lay. That night we slept on our arms ready for an attack, but no attack was made. The next morning we awoke to find they had skedaddled as usual, for they will not fight us with simply the advantage of knowing the ground. Then the report was that they had retreated to their fortifications, at the bridges over Black river, which were called Jeff Davis slaughter pen. We followed them as fast as the pioneers could repair, or pontoon the bridges which had been destroyed to impeed our progress. We there at about 10 oclock to find that [illegible] and Osterhaus's divisions on the right had folowed up their retreat, and without giving them time to collect their scattered services, capturing several thousand prisoners & seventeen pieces of Artillery the balance of them retreated across the river, burning both bridges, the R.R. and pontoon public bridge. By day light on the 19th our men had two bridges built, and commenced moving over, that night we encamped with about two miles of here. On the morning of the 20th a line of battle was formed and we advanced towards their works/ For some cause Carrs and Smiths divisions were split. [Sandrums?] Brigade in advance supported by a brigade from Carrs and on the right of us one of Carrs brigade supported by our first brigade. In this manner we advanced over hill and dale through a shower of deadly missles to within six hundred yards of their Batteries, where we laid, under cover of the hill, firing at them, the balance of the day, when we were ordered forward on to the next hill one hundred yds nearer, in that advance our Reg. lost one Lieut. killed and four men wounded.