held in reserve field near the Adams house hospital. The repulse of the enemy rendered it unnecessary to bring them into action.

I cannot refrain from taking advantage of this opportunity to express my belief that the gallantry displayed by the officers and men of that portion of the artillery of the division fortunate enough to be engaged with the enemy, and the untiring energy displayed by the others in their efforts to overcome all obstacles preventing their participation in the action, conclusively shows that they may be relied upon to meet with promptness and efficiency, at all times and in all places, the enemies of the Government.

I remain, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. H. TOMPKINS,

Colonel, Commanding Artillery of Division.

Captain WILIAM D. SEDGWICK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 23. Report of Lieutenant Edmund Kirby,

Battery I, First U. S. Artillery.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your orders, received about 3.30 p.m. on the 31st of May, 1862, I took up the line of march in rear of Gorman's brigade. The roads were almost impassable for artillery, and I experienced great difficulty in getting my guns along. I was obliged at times to unlimber and use the prolonge, the cannoneers being up to their waists in water. About 4.30 p.m. I was within three-quarters of a mile from Fair Oaks Station with three pieces and one caisson, the remainder of the battery being in rear and coming up as fast as circumstances would permit. At about 4.45 p.m. I was ordered by General Sumner to place the battery in position, the right resting on a strip of woods and the left about 70 yards from Adams' house, facing nearly south and toward Fair Oaks Station. The enemy advanced through an open field, and were about 1,000 yards from the battery when I commenced firing with spherical case and shell. They immediately tried to cover themselves in the woods on my right.

I was now obliged to change the position of my guns. At the same time First Lieutenant C. A. Woodruff, First Artillery, arrived with two pieces, which I ordered him to place on the left, in order to fire into the woods through which the enemy were advancing. But a few rounds had been fired before First Lieutenant F. S. French, First Artillery, arrived with the last piece. In the mean time one trail had broken after the fourth discharge, rendering the piece useless. All of the spherical case and were exhausted. I sent two limbers to the rear, where the caissons were buried in the mud, to bring up a fresh supply of ammunition. As the enemy were beyond canister range, I fired a few rounds of solid shot to occupy them until I could obtain more shell. As soon as the ammunition arrived I ordered shell and spherical case to be fired until the enemy were within 500 yards of my right flank, when I opened with canister.

The enemy now prepared to charge mu right. I advanced the left of the battery. They came down a road which was on my right when the firing commenced, and when they emerged from the woods found themselves directly in front of the battery instead of on the right, as