July I was relieved from duty with General Keyes and ordered to report for duty to General Smith, who directed the battery to be placed in position on his right. About 1 o'clock on the morning of the 3rd I was relieved from duty with General Smith's command and ordered to fall back to this point, where the battery arrived about 6 o'clock p.m.

I regret to report that while on the march to this camp one of the carriages of Battery G, Fourth Artillery, which had fallen in rear of its battery, drove up at a trot while one of my pieces was crossing a narrow bridge, crowding the horses from the bridge into the stream, which was some 5 or 6 feet deep, drowning 3 of my horses, severely injuring one of my drivers, and temporarily disabling the piece. It was impossible to save the limber under the circumstances, and the road was rapidly being blocked up. I therefore attached a prolonge to the lunette of the axle-strap, drew the piece to the rear, and unlimbering a caisson limbered up the piece and abandoned the caisson, having first destroyed the ammunition. I have also to report that 4 men of the battery are missing since the night of June 30. The men of the battery had been three nights without sleep, and during the temporary halts which the nature of the road made necessary would drop asleep in their saddles and by the guns. Several were thus left behind the battery, not being seen in the darkness. I regret to say that four of these are still absent.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAML. S. ELDER,

First Lieutenant, First Artillery, Commanding Battery K.

No. 104. Report of Lieutenant Charles H. Morgan,

Battery G, Fourth U. S. Artillery, of operations June 19-July 4.

CAMP NEAR JAMES RIVER, VA., July 5, 1862.

SIR: In accordance with your directions I have the honor to submit the following report of the services of Battery G, Fourth Artillery, since it joined your brigade on the evening of the 19th June, 1862:

Until the morning of the 28th no special service was rendered, though the battery was frequently in harness many hours at a time waiting for orders. About daylight on the 28th a section of the battery was placed in position to dispute the crossing of Grapevine Bridge. About 10 a.m. of the same day the battery marched to Bottom's Bridge (a march of 10 or 12 miles), where I reported to General Naglee. The battery was placed in position here to dispute the crossing. At 4 p.m. the next day I drew off four of the pieces, all the caissons, and three pieces and caissons of a volunteer battery, leaving a section behind, under Lieutenant Dickenson. One piece of this section joined the battery that night, the other the day that the reserve arrived at its present camp. After leaving Bottom's Bridge I reported to General Peck at White Oak Swamp Bridge, and marched with his command to the James River. On this occasion the battery was on the road from 4 p.m. till 11 a.m. on the 30th, a period of nineteen hours.

At 2 o'clock p.m. on the 30th I was ordered to report to the chief of artillery of Keyes' corps. The battery was placed in line of battle