who was lying on our left, to come to our support. He accordingly moved the right wing of his regiment to the point indicated, and with his assistance we continued to hold the place till night set in, when the brigade, under the personal direction of Colonel Bartlett, was led from the field in as good order as it had been led on, with the exception of the heavy losses it had sustained. During our engagement, which lasted nearly one hour and thirty minutes, the Fifth Maine and Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers were doing efficient service in line on our left.

I regret to report that in the early part of the engagement Colonel Howland received a flesh wound in his left night, but he still kept his horse, unmindful of aught but his duty and his command, and with the most undaunted bravery and marked coolness rode through the leaden hail from right to left along his line, and continued to direct the movements of the regiment and cheer on the men during all the fight and conducted the regiment from the field. His wound will disable him from duty for several weeks.

Lieutenant-Colonel Marsh received a severe wound in the neck very soon after the regiment had crossed the road on the hill, a Minie ball entering the left side of the neck and lodging against the vertebra. He bore himself bravely during the engagement, and at the instant he was struck he was riding up the line waving his sword and in the act of delivering a message to Colonel Howland. Before the message was delivered or its purport made known he was struck by the ball and fell instantly from his horse, and was borne off the field in an insensible condition.

Among the casualties to the officers of the line I have to report the death of Lieutenant A. M. Barnard, Company H, who was struck by a musket-ball in his forehead and instantly killed. Captain Warren Gibson, Company H, was about the same time struck by a musket-ball near the outer corner of the right eye, the ball passing through, back of, and destroying the eye, and coming out near the left temple. Both these officers were nobly and fearlessly discharging their duty at their posts and cheering on their men. The command of the company devolved on Sergt. James M. Hamilton, who behaved with coolness and courage, and did himself great during the remainder of the day. Lieutenant McFadden, Company K, had his right leg shattered below the knee by a shell. Acting Adjt. Lieutenant Pliny Moore, Company C, was severely wounded in the right arm and side by a musket-ball while in the fearless discharge of his duty on the field. Lieutenant Charles Bently was wounded slightly by a ball, cutting off the end of his left thumb.

Where no man faltered; where every one, officers and men, did their duty so nobly and so well, taking and persistently holding a position under a raking cross-fire, which reduced our ranks fully one-fourth part, to particularize would be invidious. So far as I was able to observe the conduct of the troops not a man left the ranks till he was compelled to from wounds or to bear off a wounded comrade, and any temporary confusion or disorder caused by moving the battalion under a steady and galling fire was promptly corrected by the company officers, whose conduct, as well as that of the men under their command on this occasion, deserves the highest commendation.

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

J. J. SEAVER,

Major, Commanding Sixteenth New York Volunteers.

R. P. WILSON,

A. A. A. G., 2nd Brigadier, 1st Div., 6th Prov. Army Corps, A. P.