missing to the lists already forwarded to the headquarters of the division.*

In conclusion, I take occasion to express my satisfaction with the able manner in which I was assisted by my two aides, Lieuts. O. H. Hartand H. E. Tremain, the latter during the whole day, and the former until about 4 p.m., when he was injured by the falling of his horses and obliged to leave the field.

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

NELSON TAYLOR,

Colonel, Commanding Second Brigade.

Captain JOSEPH DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Hooker's Divisions.

No. 15. Report of Colonel William Dwight,jr.,

Seventieth New York Infantry.

WILLIAMSBURG, VA., May 8, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor respectfully to submit herewith a report of the part taken by the regiment I had the honor to command in the action of the 5th instant before Williamsburg:

The regiment was ordered to remain at its bivouac on Sunday night until the Third Brigade should pass it, and also to bring up the rear of its own brigade. The regiment was therefore unable to move until the morning was far advanced, and when it did move the condition of the road was so frightful, owing to the rain that was falling and that had fallen during the night before, that its progress was slow. It arrived however, at the scene of action before any regiment in its brigade had taken part in the engagement, and reported at once as ready for duty. It must have been between 12.30 and 1 o'clock p.m. when the acting assistant adjutant-general to the colonel commanding the brigade communicated to me the order to move my regiment to the front, to support, as he informed me, the third regiment of this brigade, or, more properly, the Seventy-second Regiment New York Volunteers. Quartermaster Fry, of the Seventy-second Regiment New York Volunteers, directed the regiment onto the field. The regiment moved for some distance through felled timber, and I observed, as it moved on, several wounded officers from the Third Brigade being taken from the field and to my left troops retreating.

When he regiment arrived at the point where Lieutenant-Colonel Moses, of the Seventy-second New York Volunteers, had stationed himself with his reserves the general features of the position were pointed out to me by that officers, and after so pointing them out in a very brief manner Lieutenant-Colonel Moses moved off to the rear, and I did not see him again. His regiment followed him

piece-meal, and I was left with my own regiment, with nothing to support it but some companies of the Seventy-second Regiment New York Volunteers in its rear. These companies appeared to be under the direction of Major Stevens, Seventy-second New York Volunteers.

Following a suggestion from Lieutenant-Colonel Moses I had moved

---------------

*Embodied in return,p.450.

---------------

31 R R-VOL XI