I would especially commend to the most favorable notice the conduct of the following-named officers of my brigade: Lieutenant-Colonel Richards, commanding the Twelfth New York Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Rice, commanding Forty-Fourth New York Volunteers: Colonel Ruehle, commanding Sixteenth Michigan Volunteers, and Major Welch, of the same regiment; Captain Campbell, commanding Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers; Captain Conner, Company F, Forty-fourth New York Volunteers; Captain Fowler, of the Twelfth New York Volunteers, and Lieutenant Oliver, of the same regiment. I especially desire to recommend Sergt. W. J. Whittich, of the Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, who had displayed great coolness and bravery before my troops became engaged, and who in the midst of the action, while a South Carolina regiment had piled

up their dead to shelter the fire that our troops were pouring into them, rushed forward in advance of of the charge, seized the enemy's colors, and brought it to me. Other covering instances of most meritorious conduct will be found in the reports of the regimental commanders. I would also call attention to the invaluable services rendered me during the day by my assistant adjutant-general, Captain Thomas J. Hoyt, and by Major Barnum, of the Twelfth New York Volunteers, who during the greater portion of the day acted as my aide, and at the close led his regiment into the fight and to the charge, and was severely wounded while thus engaged. His conduct was most praiseworthy. Privates Robert Mannle and Charles Guyer, Seventeenth New york Volunteers, musicians, accompanied me during the engagements as buglers. Their devotion and courage deserve special commendation.

It is with a mingled feeling of sorrow and pride that I close this report. The plains of Hanover, the banks of the Chickahominy, the heights of Malvern are wet with the blood of the gallant dead of this brigade. The list of casualties is inclosed herewith.* They need no comment from me.

DANL. BUTTERFIELD,

Brigadier-General.

Captain R. T. AUCHMUTY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 129. Report of Colonel T. B. W. Stockton,

Sixteenth Michigan Infantry, of the battle of Gaines' Mill.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 18, 1862.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with your communication, dated Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, August 14, 1862, informing me that the commanding general desires to receive a copy of the report of my operations on the 27th June as soon as I shall be able to make it out, I hereby submit the same:

Having returned from Richmond only the day previous to the receipt of your note sick and unfit for duty, and the army being ordered to move on that day, i was unable to comply until my arrival here, and now, having no data as to the exact casualties, report will necessarily be brief, and limited to the operations only of the 27th up to the

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* Embodied in statement, p. 30.

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21 R R-VOL XI, PT II