and at an elevation of 6~, 640, and ~ Another battery was placed in position by the enemy on the brow of a hill to the left of their first, an(l successively a third and fourth. Their first played directly upon my right, the second on tlie whole line, the third on the left and right, and the fourth altogether on my left. Their first and fourth were the best servedhad our range exactly, the heaviest metal, and made the best firing. Their projectiles were conical 3-inch and round solid shot, shell, and what appeared to be bundles of short iron bars. I found the 8-second fuse the only one to be relied upon, and the Schenkl percus- sion shell the most certain in its results. A fuse of 15 seconds would frequently burii out more quickly than an 8, which I presume was owing to the packing, some being more loosely packed than others. The case- shot made truer flight than the fuse shell, but is open to the same ob- jection to a less extentthe taking of the rifliug. The percussion in every noticeable instance had sure flight and did execution. Unfortu- nately we had but few of them, and reserved them to the last. Chiefly to their efficiency I attribute the silencing of the enemys batteries. Respectfully, ALONZO ~ Captain, Battery B, MiaryM~nd Light Artille~j. Maj. E. R. PETHEHERIDGE Commanding First Maryland Light Artillery. Approved and forwarded. EDWARD R. PETIIERBRIDG-E, Major, Commanding First Maryland Artillery. JUNE 7, 1862.Reconnaissance on east bank of Chickahominy River, Va. Report of Lieut. Col. William B. Hatch, Fourth New Jersey Infantry. MECHANlOSYILLE, VA., June 7, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to report that in compliance with your orders this afternoon I, with Companies D, F, and I, of the Fourth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, scoured the woods on the east bank of the - Chickahominy River from the bridge on the Mechanicsville road to Richmond to the Virginia Central Railroad bridge. I found no indica- tion of an attempt on the part of the enemy to dam the stream, which there is about 30 feet wide, and clothed with a heavy growth of timber and underbrush. Only 4 of the enemy have been seen on this side to-day, and their only means of crossing the river being a fallen tree, which evidently had long been lying in that position, midway between the two bridges. The officers and men of the above companies are deserving of great credit for their d~termination to force their way through the woods, most of the time being obliged to wade through water waist-deep. Notwithstanding this, our line of skirmishers, under command of Lieu- tenant Wright, was hamudsomely maneuvered; Along this side of the woods the ground is also low, marshy, and almost impassable. Respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. B. HATCH, Lieutenant- Colonel, Fourth New Jersey. Col. J. H. SIMPSON, Field Officer of the Day.