To the officers in command of regiments and detachments I must accredit a prompt and discriminating readiness to obey my orders, and my thanks are due Colonels Bratton and Giles, Lieutenant-Colonels Steedman and Walker, who commanded the Palmetto Sharpshooters; Majors Mattison and [William] Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel A. Jackson, Captain Goodwyn, and the various battery commanders, for their cheerful and intelligent assistance during the day.

Major White, volunteer aide to General Anderson; Captain Mills, his assistant adjutant-general; Captain Manning, aide-de-camp to the commanding general; Captain Seabrook, adjutant to the Palmetto Sharpshooters; Captain Dick, and Lieutenant De Lisle gave me efficient assistance as a staff; and I must allude here to the handsome conduct of the couriers sent me from Colonel Robertson's cavalry regiment.

The troops of this brigade, I am glad to report, [are] in a much improved condition for a fight, encouraged by the victory in which they participated, and having full trust in the generalship of their generals.

The surgical staff of the brigade attended well to their duty in very exposed positions.

I append a list* of our lamented killed and wounded, who gave all to hold the position assigned them by the commanding general. The list has been sent in.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. JENKINS,

Colonel Palmetto Sharpshooters, Commanding Second Brigade.

Captain SORREL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps.

No. 68. Report of Brigadier General George E. Pickett,

C. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, SECOND DIV., SECOND CORPS, May --, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 5th instant, at about 8 a.m., my brigade being then on the march from our bivouac in rear of the old College of William and Mary, I received an order from Major-General Longstreet to counter-march in and follow in rear of General Wilcox' brigade. My brigade was halted near the old college for some time, and then ordered to move toward the redoubts in front of the town, halting at the point where the King's Mill [road] branches from the main road. I was directed to inform Brigadier-General Anderson of my presence in case of his needing support. I proceeded to obey this order, Captain Dearing's battery leading. When within some 200 yards of the point designated I halted the brigade, finding that the enemy had the exact range with their guns of the ground immediately in advance, firing at every horseman who made his appearance. I at once sent forward my aide (Lieutenant Pickett) to Fort Magruder to inform General Anderson of our whereabouts. His reply was he did not need any assistance at that time, and to remain in my position. Half an hour subsequently I received an order

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*Embodied in No. 61.

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