teers having by some unaccountably mistaken order recrossed the bridge and returned to their camp. At 12.30 a. m. I was ordered to recross the Chickahominy and repair to the camp occupied by the brigade before the battle.

With many painful regrets I have to report the loss of 500 officers and men. It is with sorrow that I record the death of Lieutenant Colonel W. S. Heath, Fifth Maine Volunteers, who was killed by a rifle-shot through the forehead while gallantly leading his men to the charge. Colonel N. J. Jackson being wounded in the arm in the first part of the engagement, the command devolved upon this able, accomplished, and devoted officer, who fell nobly discharging his duties to his regiment, to his State, and his country. Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Marsh, Sixteenth New York Volunteers, was mortally wounded in the neck by a Minie ball whilst riding in front of his regiment, waving his sword and cheering on his men to noble deeds. The service has lost in Lieutenant-Colonel Marsh an able officer and a true patriot and his brother officers a genial companion and a noble friend. Lieutenant E. T. Ellrich, Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant A. M. Barnard, Sixteenth New York Volunteers, were killed while faithfully and fearlessly discharging their duties.

Were I to direct your attention to the bravery and efficiency, the coolness or the intrepidity, of any individual officer, I fear I should by implication wrong the majority of my command. In the reports made to me by the commanding officers of regiments none have been more favorably mentioned than others, while all assign the same reason for the omission of a time-honored practice - that when all were brave, energetic, and efficient no invidious distinction could be drawn. It is left for me, therefore, to mention only those whose modesty restrained them from recounting their own valor and efficiency.

I would particularly mention Colonel Cake, Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, who exhibited rare traits of military excellence. Cool, energetic, fearless, and decided, with the assistance of Lieutenant-Colonel Frick, and Major Martin, he has won an enviable name for his regiment, which will always be sustained while the command rests in its present hands.

To Colonel Joseph Howland I am indebted for maintaining the extreme right of my line, for nobly leading his regiment to the charge, and retaking two guns from the enemy. Whatever of noble, moral, physical, and manly courage has ever been given by God to man has fallen to his lot. Cheering his men on to victory he early received a painful wound, but with a heroism worthy of the cause he has sacrificed so much to maintain he kept his saddle until the close of the battle, and not till then yielded to the painful and exhausted condition to which he has been reduced.

Colonel N. J. Jackson, Fifth Maine Volunteers, was wounded while leading his regiment to the charge on the extreme left of the line. His coolness and clear, decided tones kept his regiment like one man moving steadily to the front. In him I lose an able, efficient, and manly officer.

Lieutenant Colonel A. D. Adams, commanding Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers, led his regiment in a brave, masterly manner, and maintained one of the most important positions of the line with a full and clear comprehensiveness of the critical position the whole army would be placed in were he to falter of give way. He was everywhere, encouraging and directing his men, and three times during the terrible fight we were maintaining he closed up and dressed his thin and serried

29 R R-VOL XI, PT II