his stores, but the darkness and the intricacies of the position prevented an attack by our troops.

At about 12 o'clock Colonel Colquitt's brigade advanced to within supporting distance of my command.

At about 2.30 on the morning of the 27th my own and Colonel Colquitt's brigade were relieved by General Featherston and Pryor, and moved to a position near and beyond Mechanicsville, on the turnpike, where they remained, under a fire of shot and shell from the enemy's batteries along that road until the latter were turned by our troops in advance or silenced by our artillery. The brigade then moved forward with the division on the road to Cold Harbor, and was held for a short time in reserve after at that point. It then consisted of the Third North Carolina and Forty-eighth Georgia, with a battalion of the First North Carolina, under Captain H. A. Brown, and but a fragment of the Forty-fourth Georgia, which had been sadly cut up. Some portions of both the latter regiments were, as I have been informed, ordered by General Lee to act as a guard at the Chickahominy Bridge, on the Mechanicsville turnpike.

In the afternoon the brigade was ordered to the front to take position on the left of the line, which had been formed, and moved to the point designated. The country was densely wooded, and in some places covered with morass, and the movement was executed with some difficulty. In searching for position for the command I found some portion of our own troops already in front of the line which I was to occupy, and receiving a message from Brigadier General R. H. Anderson that support was required, I sent the Forty-eighth Georgia to the right of the position occupied by our own division to act in that capacity. The Third North Carolina and the battalion of the First remained upon the left. During the various movements in the thick woods and swamps a certain portion of the Third North Carolina became separated from the body of the regiment.

During this while the brigade, as well as the rest of the division, was under a heavy fire of artillery, but suffered comparatively little, being sheltered from view and partially from fire.

Before dark the masses of the enemy appeared in the vicinity of the command, apparently endeavoring to turn our left. In this he was checked by the fire of our artillery and the charges made upon him by troops of different divisions,and brigades in succession. These, from the nature of the ground, were more or less separate movements. The battalion of the Third North Carolina, under Colonel Meares, and of the First North Carolina, under Captain Brown, took part, doing good service. The Forty-eighth Georgia, from its position, was masked by the troops in front and did not get into close action.

The loss in this battle from the brigade was comparatively small.

During the night the troops remained on the field, and moved early the following morning, with the division in advance, toward the Grapevine Bridge, which had been destroyed by the enemy in his retreat during the night. It bivouacked within 1 1/2 miles of that point during Saturday and Sunday.

On Monday, July 1, it moved with the division early across the repaired bridge, and followed the route of the enemy's retreat until he was found in position on the farther side of White Oak Swamp Creek. Here it was brought to within supporting distance of the artillery of the division, which engaged the enemy until night-fall, driving him from his position and enabling the pioneers to repair the bridge, over which we crossed on Tuesday morning, and followed the retreat of the enemy until our army came up with him in position at Malvern Hill.