and Captain C. B. Elliott, commanding Fourth, all of the Excelsior Brigade.

My particular acknowledgments are due to Lieutenant Tremain, Fourth Regiment, aide-de-camp, and acting assistant adjutant-general, upon whom I relied for nearly all the staff duty in the field throughout the day. His arduous duties were performed with courage, zeal, and ability. Lieutenant J. L. Palmer, Second Regiment, although scarcely convalescent from recent indisposition, volunteered his services for staff duty, and performed his duties wit intelligence and address.

It affords me great pleasure to notice the exertions of the medical director of the division, Surg. Thomas Sim, and of Surgeon Calhoun, Fifth Excelsior, and Surgeon Prentice, Fourth Excelsior, in behalf of the large number of wounded in the battle of Saturday, belonging to Casey's and Couch's divisions, who were rescued and brought to the rear.

My loss in the action was 8 killed, 58 wounded, and 6 missing; the details having been already furnished.*

I have especially to regret Captain Nolen, Company A,and Lieutenant Laurier, commanding Company K, Second Regiment, who were seriously wounded while bravely leading their companies in a bayonet charge.

The fields were strewn with Enfield rifles, marked "Tower, 1862, " and muskets marked "Virginia," thrown away by the enemy in his hurried retreat. In the camp occupied by General Casey and General Couch on Saturday, before the battle of the Seven Pines, we found rebel caissons filled with ammunition, a large number of small-arms, and several baggage wagons, besides two barns filled with subsistence and forage. The most conclusive proof of his flight is the abandonment of six or seven sacks of salt, which we found in one of the outbuildings at Fair Oaks on the left of the redoubt.

I have to apologize for the delay in forwarding this report. My command has been ever since employed in the most arduous service. It was not until to-day that I could, without prejudice to more urgent duties in the field, obtain the leisure to consolidate the reports of the commanding officers of regiments, which is all I have attempted to do in this communication. I shall have the honor to transmit a separate report of the part assigned to this brigade in the operations of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th June.

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

D. E. SICKLES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain JOS. DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Hooker's Division.

Numbers 41. Reports of Major Thomas Holt,

Seventieth New York Infantry, of operations May 31-June 5

HDQRS. FIRST REGIMENT, EXCELSIOR BRIGADE.

June 3, 1862.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that according to marching orders, received at about 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, we took up

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*But see revised statement, p. 759.

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