No. 25. Reports of Brigadier General Charles D. Jameson,

U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, KEARNY'S DIVISION, Near Williamsburg, Va., Monday, May 5, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I left camp (2 1/2 miles this side of Yorktown) with my brigade this morning about 9 o'clock. My brigade was in rear of the column. I arrived at a point near the scene of action to-day at 4 o'clock p.m. Upon my arrival I was ordered by you to move my brigade forward to the support of the troops then engaged, which I did immediately, arranging in the following order, viz: I deployed the Eighty-seventh New York Volunteers, Colonel Dodge, on the right of the road leading to the rebel works, the left resting on said road; the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Campbell, I deployed on the left of said road, the right resting on the road, in very close proximity to the troops engaged; the One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers was stationed a few roads in rear of the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers in column of division, and the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers was placed some 40 rods in rear of the Eighty-seventh New York Volunteers in column of division. Soon after completing the foregoing arrangements of my troops the firing ceased, and the troops that had been engaged near the road withdrew to the rear of my brigade. I held the position first taken during the night.

Regretting that the troops under my command had not the opportunity of taking a more active part in the exciting scenes of the day, I remain, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. D. JAMESON,

Brigadier-General.

Brigadier General PHILIP KEARNY,

Commanding Division.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, KEARNY'S DIVISION, Williamsburg, Va., Tuesday, May 6, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that in accordance with your orders I sent out scouts last night for the purpose of discovering the movements of the enemy. At about 1.30 o'clock a.m. Sergeant Green, of Company A, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, reported to me that the rebel troops were moving their works in front of the scene of action yesterday, which fact I communicated to you immediately. At your suggestion I sent him our again with orders to approach very near the rebel works, and to make sure that his statement was correct. He returned at 3.30 o'clock a.m., fully satisfied that the rebels were deserting their works. At dawn I proceeded with two companies of the One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel McKnight, to make a reconnaissance of the rebel works. The works in front of and to the left of the road appeared to be deserted, but large bodies of infantry and cavalry were visible in the direction of Williamsburg. I advanced with 12 men of the One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant J. L. Gilbert, Company I, to the the guns and ammunition removed.