Charles Harris, Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers; Elbridge E. Packard, Second Wisconsin Volunteers.

I desire to state that since the battery first went into action on the 26th of August, Benjamin N. Meeds, clerk at headquarters of General Gibbon, and private belonging to Company B, Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, has voluntarily acted as cannoneer in my section in each and every engagement in which my section has participated, and although he has never been drilled with the battery, has rendered cheerful and very efficient service, so much so that I desire to bring his name particularly to the notice of the commanding general.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES STEWART,

Second Lieutenant Fourth U. S. Artillery, Commanding Light Company B.

Captain JOHN P. WOOD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Gibbon's Brigade.

No. 14. Reports Colonel Walter Phelps, jr., Twenty-second New York Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.

HEADQUARTERS HATCH'S BRIGADE,
In the Field, near Sharpsburg, Md., September 20, 1862.

SIR: I herewith submit the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the late engagement on South Mountain, Sunday, September 14, 1862:

In compliance with orders from General Hatch, I assumed command of his brigade Sunday, September 14, at 10 a.m. The column of General Hooker's corps was then moving through Frederick toward Middletown on the pike. About 4 p.m. General Patrick's brigade and this command were ordered to move to the right on a road running at right angles with the pike, and apparently following the chain of mountains some half mile from their base. General Patrick had the advance. About 1 1/2 miles from the pike I received orders from General Hatch, then in command of the division, to move the brigade from the road to the base of the mountain, forming of battle of column by division at half distance, at deploying distances.

This order was complied with, and the command moved to the left, where the woods and the nature of the ground afforded protection from the enemy's batteries, which were playing upon us from the left. I was then ordered by General Hatch to move forward some 80 rods to a road running parallel with the mountains, and deploy masses to move forward steadily toward the summit. I was advised of General Patrick's brigade in front, deployed as skirmishers, and ordered to support them. I moved the brigade forward, and unconsciously passed in advance of the skirmishers, through an interval in their line, which had become disconnected. I halted the brigade, and dispatched one of my aides to inform General Hatch of my position. He immediately rode to the front, ordering the skirmishers to advance, and this brigade to advance with them, about 30 paces in their rear. The nature of the ground afforded me an excellent opportunity to advance unobserved by the enemy, whom I discovered, by rending to the front, were posted behind a line of fence on the summit. The line of skirmishers, steadily moving forward, at length drew a scattering fire from the enemy, and perceiving that the distance