upon the left to within 15 or 20 yards of the line of fire of the enemy, which apparently came from the low bank of an old ditch, either a drain or fonndation of a fence, very near the surface of the ground. It was already noticeable that the enemy aimed at this line. The gen- erals of brigades colonels, and other commanding officers were laboring under great disaAvantages, the thickness of the woods and undergrowth and the smoke preventing them from seeing more than a very limited number of their men at any one time, while the roar of musketry was almost deafening. Very seldom, if ever, did any troops in their first battle go so close up to a covered line under so strong a fire and re- main within such short distance so long a time. Various attempts were made to charge the enemy, but withont that eo~ucert of action almost absolutely necessary to success, and the gal- lant spirits who attempted it were very many of them shot down, when the rest would fall back into the line and resume the firing. On no part of the line where I was did the enemy at any time leave their cover or advance one single foot. Our troops held their position close to the enemys line until it was too dark to distinguish friend from foe. I retired among the last, came off slowly, and was not interfered with by the enemy in any manner. In this engagement, which lasted about an hour and a half, the four brigades of my division lost in killed, wounded, and missing 1,283, of whom 164 were killed, 1,010 wounded, and 109 missing. Brigadier- General [Robert] ilatton was killed. Brigadier-General [J. J.] Petti- grew was severely wounded and taken prisoner. Brigadier-General [Wade] Hampton was seriously wounded, but was able to keep his horse and refused to leave the field. Surg. E. S. Gaillard, medical director of my command, extracted the ball from General Hamptons wound under the close and heavy fire of the enemy. His horse was shot under him just before. he dismounted to perform the operation. In a few minutes he rejoined me, and was almost immediately afterward severely wounded in the right arm, which had to be amputated. His misfortune, while it deprives the army of his services as a practical operating surgeon, will in nowise diminish his usefulness in the higher position which he has so long and so ably filled in my command, that of medical director of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, after- ward of the district of Aquia, and later of the left wing of the army. With acknowledged skill of the very highest order in his profession, he has few, if any, equals as an administrative and executive medical officer. His perfect self possession, coolness, manly bearing, and effi- ciency upon the immediate field of action encouraged and cheered all who saw him. I earnestly recommend him to the General commanding the Army and to the Government for their highest consideration. The personal bearing and conduct of the lamented General Hatton upon the field was gallant, noble, and true to his high social and official character. He fell while bravely and skillfully leading his brigade in the extreme front of the battle. General Hampton, ou this as on many previous occasions, was re- markable for coolness, promptness, and decided practical ability as a leader of men in difficult and dangerous circumstances. In these high characteristics of a general he has few equals and perhaps no superior. I had every opportunity for forming an opinion in regard to the con- duct of both of these brigade commanders in the immediate presence of the enemy. The chivalric and accomplished Pettigrew went forward into action with that high, hopeful, and enthusiastic courage which so strongly