halted by order of General Hancock. I immediately opened a slow fire by file, concentrating the fire on the broken groups of the enemy. Few shots were thrown away and the fire was quite effective. Soon the enemy were in full retreat, and by the order of the general I ceased firing.

My thanks are due to the officers and men for their good conduct. The only difficulty I had was in making them fall back and afterward in the charge of preventing them from dashing forward in pursuit of the enemy. I am happy in stating that although 60 of my men had their clothes pierced with bullets, I had not a man either killed or wounded.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

E. C. MASON,

Colonel Seventh Maine Volunteers.

Captain T. S. GRIFFING,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade.

No. 52. Report of Colonel Robert F. Taylor,

Thirty-third New York Infantry.

HDQRS. 33rd Regiment N. Y. S. VOLS., 3rd Brigadier, SMITH'S DIV.,
Camp in the Field, May 6, 1862.

For the information of the brigadier-general I would respectfully report, viz: That I received orders to report with my regiment to Brigadier-General Hancock at about 12 m. on the 5th instant and to take my position on the left of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania. After proceeding to the forks of the road I was ordered to place three companies to guard that point, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Corning. I was soon after ordered to withdraw them and take my position on the right of Wheeler's battery. Before I had time to reach it the battery was moved across the dam. I was then ordered to place three companies in the earthworks above the dam, who were put under the command of Major Platner. On arriving at the works in front of those occupied by the enemy I was then ordered to place three companies in them and to deploy the remainder (four companies) as skirmishers in the woods and on the right of the front line of attack.

Information having been received that the enemy was throwing up earthworks on our right I dispatched a small reconnoitering party to the front and right of the skirmishing line, but could discover nothing. Soon after a large body of the enemy was seen to leave the fort in front of our line and file into the woods occupied by my skirmishers. I was then ordered by General Hancock to rally my skirmishers, which order I had immediately transmitted to them, but by this time they had become engaged with the enemy. I then ordered them to hold their position. The three companies inside of the fort were now ordered to support a section of Wheeler's battery, which had retired from its advanced position to a line parallel with the front of the fort. The enemy having then advanced within a few hundred yards of our line General Hancock ordered me to charge, which was obeyed, and a well-directed fire threw their ranks into confusion, driving their left flank into the wood upon the reserves of my skirmishers, who succeeded in capturing over one hundred prisoners.

I cannot refrain from expressing my approbation of the valuable