We immediately formed in line of battle where the bullets were flying like Hail and advanced upon the enemy who fell back behind some fallen timber. We held them back for about 2 hours in the most galling fire that has ever been known. The force opposing us was about 15 or 20 thousand. Our force was the 15th & 16 Iowa and the Illinois Regiment. Our Regt. was in the hottest of the fire and was the last to yield, but we had to retreat or all be taken prisoners. Hugh & Ben escaped uninjured...I am wounded in the hip slightly, I was wounded just as we started to retreat. I had loaded my gun and turned to fire when a ball struck me. It was a spurt [?] ball, or I presume I would have been killed. It just went in and lodged on my hip bone...."