Volunteers; Captain John A. Markoe and Lieutenant F. H. Donaldson, First California. I am entirely satisfied with the conduct of my brigade. It has been christened under fire, and will do what is required of it.

About 12 o'clock at night I was directed by General Sumner to take the Seventy-first Pennsylvania Volunteers (First California) back toward the bridge crossing Chickahominy Creek, and with it the Nineteenth Massachusetts, Colonel Hinks, Forty-second New York, Colonel Charles and Sixty-third New York, Colonel Burke, hold our line of communication, protecting the artillery and ammunition, nearly all of which was mixed in the bottom on this side.

On the morning of the 1st of June I was ordered back to support the attack on that morning, and arrived at the close of the battle, when I was again ordered back to the protection of the communications.

Captain F. N. Clarke, chief of artillery, and Colonel Tompkins, Rhode Island Artillery, deserve great credit for energy and skill in getting up artillery and ammunition, which they succeeded in doing by daylight, working all night.

Captain G. A. Hicks, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant Thomas J. Blakeney, First California, and Lieutenant H. S. Camblos, One hundred and sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, my aides-de-camp, deserve my hearty approbation. Lieutenant Camblos was slightly wounded in the head. Brigadier Surg. J. A. Lidell took charge of a house for his hospital, and performed the duties of his profession with a nerve and skill which confirmed his high scientific reputation and assured to him the gratitude of all.

I am, captain very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. W. BURNS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain WILLIAM D. SEDGWICK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 33. Report of Brigadier General N. J. T. Dana,

commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, SECOND DIV., SECOND CORPS,

Battle-field, Fair Oaks Station, Va., June 3, 1862

I have the honor to report the operations of this brigade in the battles of the 31st ultimo and 1st instant on this field as follows:

About 1.30 o'clock p.m. of the first-mentioned date heavy firing was heard at our camp at Dr. Tyler's on the east side of the Chickahominy River, and soon afterward I received an order from division headquarters to get my brigade under arms. This was immediately done. Soon after this the division marched with my brigade in the rear. The Nineteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers were on outlying picket on that day, and did not therefore accompany us, but the three remaining regiments, viz, the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel W. R. Lee commanding; the Seventh Michigan Volunteers, Colonel I. R. Grosvenor commanding, and the Forty-second New York Volunteers, Colonel E. C. Charles commanding,each marched with promptness. Colonel Grosvenor was very ill, and left his bed to accompany his regiment,and as I did not suppose there was any probability of an action before the next day I prevailed on him reluctantly when near the Chickahominy not to cross, but to return to bed in cam, and come up early