forward at a rapid gait by General Kearny's orders, one complete caisson and one body were upset and lost.

The battery was then ordered into position near the New Market road on the right. The fences in front were leveled, the brush cut down, and the field cleared. Soon after General Meade came with General Seymour and desired me to change my battery from front to right, so that instead of bearing on the New Market road it would bear toward the debouche from the Charles City, &c., roads. I pointed out to them the position of General Kearny's division, and said I was on his left flank, and, as I believed, in proper position as regarded his division. They retired, and soon after an apparent change of line of battle in General McCall's division was observed, and the battery they proposed to deploy perpendicularly was deployed nearly in prolongation of it, slightly advanced. General Kearny soon rode up and I commenced to tell him of this. He ordered me to change my position so as to fire to the right, which placed me nearly perpendicularly behind Randol's battery, and soon after General Kearny left I deployed forward in echelon of pieces, and came into action left, so as to cover the ground I did at first, and in this position the battery fought over three hours. Had I remained in the other position my battery would have been swept away with Randol's, without doubt, before I could have changed front forward.

The enemy appeared by the New Market road, and as soon as they began to show themselves in front the battery opened on them with spherical case-shot just in the edge of the woods about 400 yards. They advanced in line, stooping down and firing, and we continued firing spherical case-shot until they reached the torn-down fence, brush, &c., about 150 yards in front, where they appeared to falter. They soon, however, rallied for a charge, and canister was poured upon them, and as they advanced double canister was used and served without sponging, which with the terrible infantry volley poured into them by Colonel Hays' Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, gallantly supporting the battery, drove them back. They retired to about 150 yards at the fence, when spherical case was again used with half-second fuses. Three successive charges were made by overwhelmingly large forces, but they were each time hurled back with terrible slaughter. The battle continued in this manner when, at about 7.30 o'clock p.m., the canister and spherical case-shot having become exhausted, and after firing round shot, it became apparent that the battery was being risked without doing the enemy injury, and it was therefore retired.

Lieutenant J. H. Butler is deserving of great credit for bravery and efficiency. I am under great obligations to him for the condition of my battery.

The battery went into action with six pieces, four caissons, and one caisson limber; came out with five guns, one caisson, and two limbers. The horses of one piece were shot, and the piece lost after getting partly off the field.+

One man killed, 13 wounded, 2 missing. Medical Cadet Frank Le Moyne was on the field of battle or near the battery during the entire day, and worked until late at night dressing wounded until all were attended to. His conduct deserves great commendation.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

JAMES THOMPSON,

Captain, Second Artillery, U. S. Army.

Lieutenant ALEXANDER MOORE,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Third Division, Third Corps.

+See indorsement, p.172.