entrenched line, as then occupied. The surrender occurred shortly after. Headquarters were about four miles east of Appomattox Court-House this night.

Very respectfully submitted.

W. H. PAINE,

Captain, Aide-de Camp, and Brevet Major of Volunteers.

Bvt. Colonel J. C. DUANE,

Major of Engineers, U. S. Army.

Numbers 16. Report of Bvt. Captain Charles W. Howell, U. S. Corps of Engineers.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, BATTALION U. S. ENGINEERS, April 19, 1865.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your orders, I reported for duty on the 29th of March to Major-General Humphreys, commanding Second Corps, whom I found on the Vaughan road, near Gravelly Run crossing, engaged in forming his line nearly parallel to the road, preparatory to an advance. I was immediately sent around his left flank with a small cavalry escort and orders to push through the country, up the left bank of Gravelly Run to the Quaker rod, and then to Gravelly Run Meeting-House, if possible, to determine and report the nature of the country, the character, strength, and position of the position of the enemy's force on that road. We succeeded in reaching a point three-fourths of a mile beyond the church, when we met a superior force and returned with but slight loss. The left wing of the corps was then swung around nearly parallel to Gravelly Run, with left ear the church, and entrenched. It was then moved forward to connect with the Fifth Corps, but, owing to the swamp nature of the country, the dense underbrush, and frequent slashing, the connection was not secured until next morning. Late in the afternoon the right advanced, and I was ordered to General Hays, commanding Second Division, to assist him in establishing his line. At dusk the Second Corps line was as follows: Second Division on the right, its right flank near Armstrong's Mill, with a strong skirmish-line extending down to Hatcher's Run, thence to Dabney's Mill, occupying an old entrenched line of the enemy's for about 400 yards to the left; Third Division, nearly perpendicular to the Second, held the center, running through low swampy ground, thickly timbered; First Division, on left of Third Division, and extending nearly to Quaker road, with less difficult ground to move over. On the 30th I was again sent to the Second Corps, but was soon after ordered to find roads to communicate with the different divisions of the corps and to put them in good condition. I found the roads, but, owing to the heavy rains in the morning, found it impossible to get them more than barely passable by conducting the worst places. During the day the right advanced to the J. Crow house, and the left formed connection with the Fifth Corps on the Quaker road, near its junction with the Boydton plank road. On the 31st I was engaged conducting a portion of the Vaugan road, from Gravelly Run about one mile to the right, with a detail of 1,100 men form Second Corps, with orders to make a double track and corduroy the whole distance. At night I had one track nearly completed.