No. 245. Report of Captain George W. Wooding,

Danville [Va.] Artillery, of engagement at White Oak Swamp Bridge and battle of Malvern Hill.

CAMP NEAR GORDON'S MILLS, VA., July 24, 1862.

GENERAL: My battery marched from Port Republic to the fortifications of the enemy near Richmond with the Third Brigade, commanded in your absence by Colonel Fulkerson.

On Friday, June 27, we arrived to within a short distance of the battle-field at Gaines' Mill about 4 p.m. Soon afterward the infantry were ordered to leave the road and advance by a narrow path through the woods in the direction whence the firing proceeded. Colonel Fulkerson ordered me to remain where I was, and if needed he would send for me.

I received no orders from the colonel that evening, but on the morning

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of the 28th received orders from Colonel Warren, of the Tenth Regiment [Colonel Fulkerson having been mortally wounded], to bring my battery forward. This order I promptly obeyed. No engagement, however, was bad with the enemy by our brigade on this day or the day following; but on Monday, the 30th, while on the march in pursuit of the retreating enemy, I received orders from General Hampton, then commanding the brigade, to hasten to the front of the column with my battery. I did so, and engaged the enemy at White Oak Swamp for about five hours.

On Tuesday, July 1, early in the morning, I received orders from General Hampton to send my battery forward immediately; but owing to the loss of horses sustained, and also to the want of ammunition [my supply having been nearly exhausted the day previous], I could only prepare a section of my battery for immediate action. This section was sent forward to Malvern Hill under Lieutenant [J. W.] Jones, where I joined it, and assumed command as soon as I had made a requisition for ammunition for the other guns. I may here state that I arrived on the field before a shot had been fired from either of my guns. During this day my command was exposed to a terrific fire both from the enemy's infantry and artillery. We remained upon the field until the sun had gone down, and only left then because we had exhausted our ammunition.

During the engagement of Monday my command generally behaved well. The same may be said of their conduct on Tuesday. Those who form an exception to this statement have already been reported for publication to the world.

On Monday, June 30, Lieutenants Jones and [J. Q.] Adams assisted me in the command of the battery, and discharged their duty well.

On Tuesday, July 1, Lieutenant Jones alone aided me, Lieutenant Adams having been sent by me to the ordnance trains in charge of some caissons.

In the two engagements I had few casualties. They are as follows: Killed-Private Charles W. Gay. Wounded-Privates Rufus Bennett, seriously in the thigh; W. L. Snead, painfully in the foot, and John B. Turner, slightly in the hand. I make no mention of some whose wounds were so slight as not to deserve the name.

Several of my battery horses were disabled, and the horse of Lieutenant Jones was shot under him.

Very respectfully,

GEO. W. WOODING,

Captain, Danville Artillery.

Brigadier-General TALIAFERRO.

No. 246. Reports of Brigadier General Alexander R. Lawton,

C. S. Army, commanding Fourth Brigade, Second Division [Jackson's], of the battles of Gaines' Mill and Malvern Hill.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH BRIGADE, VALLEY DISTRICT, Near Gordonsville, Va., July 28, 1862.

CAPTAIN: In accordance with instructions from the major-general commanding I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the battle of June 27 near the Chickahominy River and a few miles from Richmond: