movement up the wooded ravine C D, thereby saving part of the terrible carnage there, and his retreat either have been entirely cut off or converted into a complete night rout. Allen's wharf and road leading up from it have been extensively used by the enemy. Several store-houses have been burned there.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. D. McALESTER,

Engineer Officer Third Corps, Army of the Potomac.

Captain CHAUNCEY McKEEVER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac.

[Indorsement.]

NOTE.-I sent Captain McKeever with another regiment of infantry and two more batteries of artillery, belonging to General Kearny's division, so soon as the came up, making the whole force available for operating on the enemy's right flank to consist of one regiment of cavalry, three batteries of artillery,and four regiments of infantry, or about 3,000 men or upward. There was some risk to run, but he success would have been great.

S. P. HEINTZELMAN,

Brigadier-General.

No. 6. Report of Brigadier General Joseph Hooker,

U. S. Army, commanding Second Division.

HEADQUARTERS HOOKER'S DIVISION, Third Army Corps, Williamsburg, Va., May 10, 11862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that under the instructions received through the headquarters Third Army Corps, dated May 4, to support Stoneman and aid him in cutting off the retreat of the enemy, my division marched from its camp before Yorktown about noon that day. We marched toward Williamsburg. After advancing 5 or 6 miles on this road I learned that Brigadier-General Stoneman had fallen upon the rear of the enemy's retreating column, and was then awaiting the arrival of an infantry force to attack him. This was 5 or 6 miles in advance of me, and immediately I left my command and galloped to the front in order to see what disposition it would be necessary to make of my force on its arrival. While here I was informed that Brigadier-General Smith's division had filed into the road in advance of my command, and that in consequence my division would be compelled to hald until after Smith's had passed. I immediately returned to the head of my column, where I found my division halted, and, as Smith's was extended, it was between three and four hours in passing. As soon as this was ascertained, and felling that Stoneman would require no additional support, I applied to Brigadier-General Heintzelman, the senior officer charged with the advance on the Yorktown road, for authority to throw my command on to the Hampton road, which intersected that on which Brigadier-General Stoneman had halted at the identical point his enemy occupied. The angle formed by the two roads is a little less than a right angle. Obtaining this permission the head of my division left the Brick Church about dark, and it pressed forward, in order, if practicable, to come up with the enemy