west and southwest of our position, but a discharge of shells and spherical case from Pettit's battery drove them at once out of view. Very soon afterward a most violent infantry attack was made on our left flank, with the obvious intention of penetrating between our division and that of General Kearny. This attack was continued by the enemy with the utmost pertinacity for nearly four hours, and every regiment in the division was sent into the woods and engaged the foe before he relinquished his purpose. Toward the close of this attack I was directed by the division commander to move four of Pettit's pieces to the left, and one of the infantry regiments being withdrawn by General Richardson from the woods, a well-directed fire of shells and shrapnel discharged through this opening in our line, no doubt contributed materially to our success in repelling this obstinate effort of the enemy to separate the two wings of our army. Very soon after the cheers of our men indicated the retreat of the foe. Pursuit, at least with artillery, was utterly impossible, the whole country being a swamp, and the soil a mixture of sand and clay on a substratum of clay perfectly saturated with water.

Ten horses were required to move our guns from one part of the field to another, and our wheel-traces and prolongs snapped like packthread.

The only casualties occurred in my own battery: Private Charles Griffin (attached), of Company B, Sixty-sixth New York Volunteers, was shot mortally through the chest, and Corp. Lawrence Kidd, of Company C, Fourth Artillery, was slightly wounded.

Every officer and man under my orders did his duty-no more, no less.

The firing of Pettit's battery has never, in my observation, been excelled.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. HAZZARD,

Commanding Batteries, Richardson's Division.

Captain NORVELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 6. Report of Brigadier General Oliver O. Howara,

U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

ON BOARD STEAMER NELLY BAKER,

York River, June 3, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of my command as engaged at Fair Oaks Stantion on the 1st instant:

In accordance with orders from division headquarters the brigade marched from camp at Tyler's on the 31st, at 3 p. m. I crossed the Chickahominy at Grapevine Bridge, and bivouacked in the open field on the right of the railroad and near the station. On the 1st instant, at 4 a. m., my command was deployed in column of battalions in mass, excepting the Fifth New Hampshire, Colonel Cross, which had been moved to the front of General French's brigade as the advance guard. I formed the second line, General French being in front.

At about 5 a. m. the action commenced by the firing of the enemy's pickets on the advance guard, which was at once returned. I was