port of General Kearny's division. Took position on the left of the Third Regiment somewhat in advance of the other regiments of the brigade. Midnight of the 30th moved on to Malvern Hill.

Left the hill about 10.30 a. m. July 1 and encamped about 3 miles from the hill. In the afternoon broke camp; were ordered to the woods on the left, and there threw up breastworks of logs, prepared to meet the enemy. Midnight again of July 1 took up the line of march for Harrison's Landing; arrived there on the morning of July 2.

About 6.30 a. m. on the morning of the 7th moved from our encampment near the landing to our present position.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. BROWN,

Colonel, Commanding.

Brigadier General GEORGE W. TAYLOR.

No. 175. Report of Colonel James H. Simpson,

Fourth New Jersey Infantry, of the battle of Gaines' Mill.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Alexandria, Va., August 26, 1862.

CAPTAIN: Having been taken prisoner in the battle of Gaines' Mill, Va., on the 27th June last, carried thence to Richmond, and only released on the 13th instant, since which time my regiment has been actively engaged in journeying from camp (Harrison's Landing) on the James River to the present camp, at which we arrived yesterday, I have not been enabled to make up my report of the part taken by my regiment till now, as follows:

At about a quarter to 2 p. m. the brigade, while in Camp Lincoln, on the south side of the Chickahominy, received orders to march across the creek by the Woodbury Bridge to the east side, to resist an attack of the enemy. The order of march was, first, the Third New Jersey, newt the Fourth New Jersey, next the First New Jersey, and last a battalion of the Second New Jersey. My regiment (Fourth New Jersey) marched at about 2.30 o'clock, and reached the crown of the hill, about a mile beyond the bridge, the theater of the battle, in about an hour, the latter portion of the march on the double-quick. The afternoon was exceedingly warm, and the consequence was the men were somewhat exhausted, but showed no relaxation of ardor for the work before them.

My orders from you were to take position on the left of the Third New Jersey. I marched up my regiment and placed it in the position assigned it, facing it toward the enemy, and was about marching it forward to the woods, when the Duc de Chartres rode up, and said it was General McClellan's order that I should form in rear of a regiment in front of which I then was. (I did not learn its name.) I immediately referred the Duc to Brigadier-General Taylor, commanding the brigade, who directed me to carry out the instructions brought by the Duc. This change was made, when the Duc again rode up and remarked that General McClellan desired me at once to move to the front (as you had previously ordered), and take position in the woods to sustain a regiment then engaged with the enemy. This movement was also concurred in by you, and I thereupon marched the regiment