of scouting and skirmishing with great efficiency, leading his company back to the regiment twice in the face of the enemy. Major Wetherill was cool and daring throughout the action, remaining near the left wing, regulating the fire and sustaining the men. Captain Marston, in the right wing, was conspicuous for his gallantry throughout the action, directing the fire of his men from time to time with great coolness and judgment. The adjutant, Lieutenant Grier, performed his duties in a manner entitling him to credit for his courage and earnestness. Sergeant Boswell, of Company C, who fell late in the action dangerously wounded, is deserving of notice; also Color-Sergeant Gibson, who was struck in the pit of the stomach with a spent ball, and for a moment apparently much hurt. Finaly, there was little opportunity for displays of individual acts of gallantry, but all performed their duties in such a manner that their commander knows of no one that it would not be an honor to command in the hour of need and upon whom the country could not rely when and where she needs brave men. I submit herewith the report of the killed and wounded and missing.*

I have the honor to be, captain, your obedient servant,

DAVID H. WILLIAMS,

Colonel Thirty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers.

No. 86. Report of Captain James Brady,

Battery H, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery.

HDQRS. LIGHT BATTERY H, FIRST PA. RESERVE ARTY.,
Battle-field, Fair Oaks, Va., June 2, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report my battery as participating in the successful stand made by General Couch with the right wing of Keyes' corps d'armee, supported by three regiments drawn from different brigades composing Couch's division, at Fair Oaks Station, near Richmond, on the afternoon of the 31st ultimo, sustaining for several hours a heavy fire from the enemy's musketry, directed from the cover of the woods in front of our battery at a distance of 50 yards, in open battery. The left section, in command of Lieutenant Fagan, was particularly noticed for the rapidity and effectiveness of its fire, repulsing the head of the enemy's column as it frequently appeared emerging from the woods charging on the battery. This section, after exhausting canister, plagued upon the enemy's lines with spherical case and shell without fuse, bursting the shell as it left the gun, as determined by the yellow sulphurous smoke, sweeping its broken fragments before it, eliciting the remark from the enemy that nothing could stand up before such "rotten shot."

The right section, held under my immediate command, moved down to support the center in time to check a charge of the enemy in that direction, and was the newt moment ordered to the support of Colonel Sully, First Minnesota, who held the enemy's left in check. This position was soon gained, passing over a deep morass at a trot-out, receiving the enemy's compliments in a heavy cross-fire on my drivers and horses, wounding many. The position once turned we opened, throwing, wounding many. The position once turned we opened, throwing shell and spherical case without fuse, exploding in the enemy's

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* Embodied in return, p.761.

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