Meantime Colonel Coburn, with four companies of the Thirty-third Indiana, had started at seven o’clock, to reach the hill designated. The command consisted of Company D, Captain McCrea; Company I, Captain Hauser; Company E, Captain Hendricks; and Company G, Captain Dille—in all about three hundred and fifty men. Their arrival was most opportune, as the rebel forces were on the point of seizing the same position. The companies were immediately deployed as skirmishers. In about twenty minutes, the rebels, who were concealed in the woods, commenced firing. Soon after they appeared in front, half a mile to the south, and below in the valley. They were in large numbers, and formed in line, near an open space, and then approached the Federal force under cover of a wood which concealed them from view, and opened fire. At this moment the Kentucky cavalry (Colonel Garrard,) came up, and reinforced the Thirty-third. The enemy charged, but were repulsed under a galling fire. The front of the rebels approached within a few rods of Colonel Coburn, with their caps on their bayonets, saying that they were “Union men,” and were “all right;” and having thus attempted to disarm the suspicion of the loyal troops, suddenly poured a murderous fire upon them. After an hour of severe struggle, the enemy were compelled to retreat, leaving part of their dead and wounded behind them. At about the close of this attack, another detachment of the forces under General Schoepf came upon the ground. It consisted of four companies of the Seventeenth Ohio. Company E, Captain Fox; company C, Captain Haines; company K, Captain Rea; and company H, Captain Whisson, all of whom, under Major Ward, promptly formed in line ready for their part in the contest. But the enemy had retreated only to return with an increased force. At about two o’clock, P. M., the attack was renewed, and at the same time, company C, Fourteenth Ohio, Captain J. W. Brown, appeared on the field. The position was fiercely contested, the Federal troops rendering the most gallant and effective service in the face of the largely superior force brought against them. A few discharges of cannon, three pieces of which were in use, aided by the well-directed infantry fire, resulted in the total rout and dispersion of the enemy, who again retreated, and during the night were finally removed by General Zollicoffer. Captain Stannard’s Ohio battery earned for itself high commendations in this contest. The Federal loss was four killed and twenty-one wounded. We have no record of Zollicoffer’s loss.