the line and a respectable brigade of troops properly officered and in fighting condition.

Among the officers who distinguished themselves particularly in this rally and subsequent attack I beg leave to name Mr. Charles B. Lamborn, of your own staff; Captain Chandler Hall, of General McCall's staff; Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, Captain McDaniels, Captain J. B. Knox, Captain Partridge, Lieutenant J. B. Pattle, Lieutenant G. S. Knee, and Lieutenant D. W. Mayes, of the Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves; Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher, Major Dare, Captain Zentmeyer, Captain Taggart, and Lieutenant Petrikin, of the Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves; Adjutant McMurtrie and Lieutenant Weaver, of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves; Lieutenant-Colonel Oliphant, Captain William Lemon, Adjutant Wetter, and Lieutenant Cochran, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Reserves.

Of my own command my only remaining officers, Captain Wister, Lieutenant Allison, and Lieutenant Bitterling, of the First Rifles; Captain Giroux and Lieutenant Sshepard, of the U. S. Sharpshooters, displayed the most admirable courage and coolness.

At dusk I moved the whole battalion, which seemed to put itself under my command, forward in excellent line of battle toward the front, where the fight was raging in the dense woods. I should have been utterly at a loss as to where advantageously to place my command but for the superior judgment and accurate knowledge of the progress of the battle possessed by Mr. Lamborn, who had posted the other divisions of the fresh troops as they had come up, and knew from his own observation the position of every corps upon the field. Upon his advice I moved by flank up the Richmond road, and advancing steadily to the extreme front under sharp fire, halted to reconnoiter upon finding myself among the wreck of our own batteries where the action commenced. General McCall had come out of the woods wounded and alone, and taken his place at the head of the column.

After the halt the general took me forward a few paces with him, and suddenly in the darkness we found ourselves close upon the leveled muskets of a column of the enemy, which filed the road in front of us. We were ordered to "Halt; dismount;" but I turned and escaped only slightly hurt, though drawing two volleys from the enemy. General McCall was not so fortunate, and is in the enemy's hands. My men at the same time had captured the colonel of a rebel regiment with a small party who were scouting in our direction. I formed my first company across the road, and went to the rear in church of a cannon to sweep the road in front. I soon, however, became so faint and dizzy from the effects of my hurt that I was taken to the hospital and took no further part in the action, which soon terminated. The presence of my force, which still remained half an hour on the ground and then retired in good order, no doubt checked an advance of the enemy which would have cut our lines in the very center -- its weakest point. They were already feeling their way down the road and had a powerful column ready to make the dash.

The loss of my command in this action was much greater in proportion than in any of the preceding. I have this morning but 3 officers and 60 men of my own regiment and 3 officers and 28 men of the U. S. Sharpshooters for duty. We were under fire for a while this morning at the battle of Malvern Hill, but soon retired, according to your order, under the bluff.

I am pained to mention the loss of Captain Charles Drew, Wisconsin company (G) U. S. Sharpshooters, a brave, skillful, and much-beloved commander. He was shot dead early in the action.