t, rendered still more dark by the smoke of the
battle, much confusion necessarily ensued, and many
officers became separated from their commands. It
more than once occurred during the fight that some
of our officers, through mistake, entered the
enemy's lines; and the British officers in like
manner entered ours. The meritorious officer in
command of our regiment, at the commencement of the
battle, lost his position in the darkness and
confusion, and was unable to regain it until the
action was over. In this manner, for a short time,
the regiment was without a commander, and its
movements were regulated by the platoon officers,
which increased the confusion and irregularity of
the advance. In this critical situation, and in the
heat of the battle, Capt. Butler, as the senior
officer present, assumed command of the regiment,
and led it on most gallantly to repeated and
successful charges, until the fight ended in the
complete rout of the enemy. We were still pressing
on their rear, when an officer of the general's
staff rode up and ordered the pursuit discontinued.
Captain Butler urged its continuance, and expressed
the confident belief of his ability to take many
prisoners, if permitted to advance. But the order
was promptly repeated, under the well-founded
apprehension that our troops might come in
collision with each other, an event which had
unhappily occurred at a previous hour of the fight.
No corps on that field was more bravely led to
battle than the regiment commanded by Capt. Butler,
and no officer of any rank, save the
commander-in-chief, was entitled to higher credit
for the achievement of that glorious night.

"A short time before the battle of the 8th of
January, Capt. Butler was detailed to command the
guard in front of the encampment. A house standing
near the bridge, in advance of his position, had
been taken possession of by the light troops of the
enemy, from whence they annoyed our guard. Capt.
Butler determined to dislodge them and burn the
house. He accordingly marched to the attack at the
head of his command, but the ene