I had been in this position but a short time when the enemy advanced immediately in our front, and as we commenced to fire on them a cry was started, "They are our own troops," and in another moment one of our own regiments rushed up the road and decimated my little battalions as by a whirlwind. Officers and men were carried with resistless power to the rear of the houses, where they were rallied by their officers in such numbers as could be got together, and, attaching themselves to the nearest organized body of our troops, again returned to the struggle.

I cannot close these remarks without again calling your attention to the bravery and coolness of Lieutenants Pearson, Corning, Montgomery, Howell, and Knapp, of the Seventeenth Infantry, and Lieutenants Lauman and Cutting, of the Tenth Infantry. In this trying moment, with their men scattered in every direction by a power beyond their control, they were to be found wherever the battle raged fiercest, doing their utmost to retard the advancing foe. It was here the last was seen of Lieutenant Montgomery, as he advanced to the front with about 20 men.

Referring you to the accompanying documents for the casualties* in detail, I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. L. ANDREWS,

Major Seventeenth Inft., Commanding Batt. Tenth and Seventeenth Inft. Major C. S. LOVELL, Commanding Second Brigade, Sykes' Division.

Numbers 152. Report of Colonel Gouverneur K. Warren,

Fifth New York Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of the battle of Gaines' Mill. engagement at Turkey Bridge, and battle of Malvern Hill.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, SYKES' DIV., PORTER'S CORPS,
July 4, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the operations of this brigade from June 26 to July 3, 1862:

The brigade consisted on the 26th ultimo of the Fifth New York Volunteers, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Duryea, numbering about 450 effective men for duty, and of the Tenth New York Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Bendix, numbering about 575 men for duty. The First Connecticut, Colonel Tyler, had been relieved from my command for duty with the heavy artillery.

The conflict having begun on the right of our army at Mechanicsville on the afternoon of the 26th ultimo, we were ordered out with the rest of the division and remained in line of battle all night. At 2.30 a.m. on the 27th we marched back as directed, and took up our line so as to defend the crossing of Gaines' Creek while the trains and artillery effected a passage. This having been accomplished, we again marched forward to a new position, about half a mile from the last, where it had been determined to prevent the farther advance of the enemy.

The line assigned to my brigade, forming the left of the division, had its left resting upon a forest, which I was informed, was held by Griffin's brigade, and our line of battle was in an open plowed field, along a gentle slope, in a measure hiding us from the observation of the

* Embodied in revised statement, p. 41.