Numbers 2. Report of Brigadier General Henry W. Benham, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, A. O. W. VA.,
Camp Scott, September 12, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to repor as follows in relation to the operations of my brigade in the battle at the rebel entrenchments at Carnifix Ferry on the 10th instant.

As previously stated to you, the head of my brigade started from the camp, 8 miles north of Summersville, at about 4 a. m., reaching that place before 8 a. m. in good order, and with the men eager for the continuance of the march toward the enemy, who we there ascertained were well entrenched and determined to resist us near Carnifix Ferry. After a halt of nearly tow hours about 1 miles short of the Cross-Lanes, we moved rapidly forward toward the position of the enemy, until our arrival at the site of this camp, about 1 mile from their entrenchments, a little past 2 o'clock, when, after a reconnaissance by you, myself accompanying you, I was authorized to move forward with my brigade, using my best discretion in the case. Upon receiving this order, and with the mass of my brigade well closed up, which had been accomplished during our reconnaissance, I moved carefully forward, with the Tenth Ohio Regiment leading, having our skirmishes well ahead and at the flanks for nearly three-fourths of a mile, when we discovered through the opening of the woods on our left their entrenchments in an open space beyond a deep and steep valley and crowing the erect of the opposite hill.

Having no engineer officer with my brigade, and no other that I knew of to replace one, I kept with the head of the regiment to avoid ambuscade and to judge myself of their position and arrangements. After advancing about one-fourth of a mile to the end of the woods I halted the command, and could perceive that a heavy cross-fire had been prepared for us at the open space at the debouch from the woods, and I at once forbid the advance of the regiment beyond this point. within some five minutes after this time (nearly 3.30 o'clock), while carefully examining the earthworks on the road in front and their log breastworks on our left, a tremendous fire of musketry was opened on us, which in a few minutes was followed by a discharge of grape and speller-canister from a battery of some six pieces of artillery. This caused a break in the line for a few minutes, though for a few minutes only, for the men immediately returned to the ranks under the lead of their officers to their former position, where I retained them, as I was certain that the fire at use thought he close woods was without direct aim, and because they were needed for the protection of our artillery, which I immediately ordered up. The two rifled guns of Captain Schneider, and Captain McMullin, with his four mountain howitzers, immediately followed, throwing their shells well into their entrenchments on our left with excellent effect.

A further examination of their position convinced me that their weak part and our true point of attack was on the right flank across the deep valley from our position, upon which orders were immediately sent to Colonel Smith, of the Thirteenth Regiment, and to Colonel Lowe, of the Twelfth Regiment, to advance and pass the valley on our left, under cover of the woods, to that attack. Neither of these regiments was to be found in their proper position on the road in my rear as I had expected, though after a short time Colonel Smith was met with on our .