those zealous and brave young officers who suffered most severely in the action.

There are many deaths amongst the men, of which I think it my duty to make especial mention of that of Sergeant Haggerty, of the Sixty-ninth, whose brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Haggerty, fell at the head of the Sixty-ninth new York Militia at the battle of Manassas, and whose noble example of patriotism and soldiership it was the passion of Sergeant Haggerty to emulate.

In closing this report I have to acknowledge with grateful satisfaction the energetic and gallant conduct of Captain William H. Hogan, Lieutenant John J. Gosson and Tempe Emmett, whose labors on the field in directing and sustaining the movements of the brigade were incessant and most effective.

Lieutenant James B. Turner, also of my staff, having asked permission to rejoin his company in the Eighty-eighth, behaved in a manner which was in admirable keeping with the brilliant character of the chivalrous young regiment.

The bearing of Colonel Nugent, of the Sixty-ninth, was a guarantee, whilst it was an inspiration from the resolute and resistless bravery of his regiment. Major James Quinlan, who commanded the Eighty-eighth Regiment, proved himself fully worthy of the command which devolved upon him.

But I must confine this enumeration of gallant officers who

pre-eminently distinguished themselves on the occasion to those whose official position in the brigade renders it no disparagement to others to have them specially mentioned.

THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER,

Brigadier-General.

General E. V. SUMNER,

Commanding Second Corps d'Armee.

No. 21. Reports of Brigadier General William H. French,

U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade, of the battle of Gaines' Mill, engagement at Peach Orchard, battle of Savage Station, engagement at White Oak Swamp Bridge, and battles of Gendale (Fraizer's Farm) and Malvern Hill.

HDQRS. FRENCH'S Brigadier, RICHARDSON'S DIV., SUMNER'S CORPS, July 5, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the operations of my command at the battle of Gaines' Mill, on Friday, June 27, 1862:

On Friday afternoon, June 27, at about 5 p.m., I received instructions from First Lieutenant Kip, acting assistant adjutant-general, Sumner's Corps, to move rapidly with my own brigade and that of General Meagher's across the Chickahominy to the support of Brigadier General Fitz John Porter, whose forces were hard pressed by a superior force of the enemy. In a few moments these brigades were rapidly in motion, and guided by Captain Custer, of the staff of Major-General McClellan, they crossed the Chickahominy on the Grapevine Bridge. When the head of my column debouched into the meadow on the opposite bank a crowd of fugitives, encumbering the road and preventing the progress of the ambulances, were encountered. I directed General Meagher to deploy a company of his command as skirmishers to drive them back, which had great effect, being vigorously executed.