enemy's pickets, three mounted, near. As five infantry regiments were reported to be at this point I ordered the cavalry to endeavor

to capture the pickets, but they failed after a pursuit of about a mile. No infantry force was to be seen in the neighborhood. Three dismounted men had shown themselves at the same point as the first picket, and were supposed to be the same. The picket fired one shot at us before leaving.

From an examination of the ground in front I am confident there is no force within 4 miles of the point marked D, and that the pickets are from a force considerably to the interior, my own impression being Petersburg, judging from the inclosed envelope, the letter inside of which was dated June 17, 1862.

As it was late in the afternoon and my men very much exhausted from heat, the weather being excessively hot, I determined to return, and after the usual delay at the landing I arrived in this camp at 8.30 p. m. The assistant surgeon with my command reports twenty cases of sunstroke as having occurred during the time we were absent.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN D. WILKINS,

Captain, Third Infantry, Commanding Regiment.

Captain FRED T. LOCKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifth Army Corps.

AUGUST 2-8, 1862. - Reconnaissance from Harrison's Landing and reoccupation of Malvern Hill by the Union forces.

REPORTS, ETC.

Numbers 1. - Major General George B. McClellan, u. S. Army, with letter of instructions for the movement of Hooker's division.

Numbers 2. - Brigadier General Joseph Hooker, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, Third Corps, of the return of his division to camp August 3.

Numbers 3. - Colonel Nelson Taylor, Seventy-second New York Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations August 4-7.

Numbers 4. - Lieutenant Colonel Louise R. Francine, Seventh New Jersey Infantry, of operations August 4-7.

Numbers 5. - Colonel William W. Averell, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanding First Cavalry Brigade, of skirmish at white oak Swamp Bridge August 5.

Numbers 6. - General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, of operation August 5- 7.

Numbers 7. - Brigadier General Wade Hampton, C. S. Army, commanding First Cavalry Brigade, of operations August 5-7.

Numbers 8. - Lieutenant Colonel P. M. B. Young, commanding Georgia Legion Cavalry, of skirmish at Malvern Hill August 5.

Numbers 9. - Colonel L. S. Baker, First North Carolina Cavalry, of operations August 4-6.

Numbers 10. - Lieutenant Colonel Z. S. Magruder, Tenth Virginia Cavalry, of skirmish at White Oak Swamp Bridge August 5.

Numbers 11. - Brigadier General N. G. Evans, C. S. Army, of skirmish at Malvern Hill August 6.

Numbers 12. - Colonel W. H. Wallace, Eighteenth South Carolina Infantry, of skirmish at Malvern Hill August 5.

Numbers 13. - Major General Lafayette McLaws, C. S. Army, commanding division, of operations August 6-8.