known as Ball's Bluff, in which the Tammany regiment from New York were active participants.

On the morning of the 21st ultimo Colonel Cogswell received orders from Brigadier-General Stone to hold the regiment in readiness to march on a movement's warning to a point 2 miles below Conrad's Ferry, in the State of Maryland. On arriving at the point the whole regiment was transported in good order and without accident to Harrison's Island, about midway between the Maryland and Virginia shores, in the Potomac River.

Here, in accordance with the orders of the Virginia shore to a steep acclivity, some 50 feet in height. The passage across was slow and tedious, owing to the inadequate means of transit provided, only about a single company being able to cross at a time. Company A, Captain Harrington; Company C, Lieutenant McPherson; Company E, Captain T. H. O'Meara; Company H, Captain H. H. Alden, and Company K, Captain M. Gerety, had succeeded in crossing to the Virginia shore, and were hotly engaged in a sanguinary and uneven conflict with the rebels, when the boat used of the transportation of troops to the battle-field was shaped on a return trip, laden with wounded and dead soldiers who had just fallen on the field of battle. How many of our bleeding soldiers were thus buried beneath the waters of the Potomac it was impossible in the confusion that followed to ascertain. No inconsiderable number were rescued by their comrades in arms on the island, and others, not seriously injured, escaped by their own exertions, but there is no doubt but some were drowned by this unfortunate occurrence. as this was the only boat at command, Companies B, Lieutenant J. McGraph; D, Captain Isaac Gotthold; F, Captain J. W. Tobin; G, Captain Quinn; and I, Captain D. Hogg, were thus prevented from crossing to Virginia to assist their compatriots already in conflict with largely superior force of the enemy. The men evinced the deepest anxiety to go to the rescue of their brother soldiers, and manifested the most unmistakable sorrow on learning the impossibility of engaging with the enemy.

The detachment of the Tammany which succeeded in crossing to the Virginia shore was marched up the steep acclivity, and immediately entered into the conflict, already progressing, with a spirit and intrepidity that would have done credit to older and more experienced soldiers, but the contest was too uneven, and, notwithstanding the valor and steadfastness of the men, the battle went against us, though twice on the enemy after the order for the retreat had been five. The retreat was conducted with the most perfect order to the river, out soldiers contesting every inch of the ground in retiring . On arriving at the river and finding no means of conveyance to the island, our troops were ordered to throw their arms into the rive and such of them who could swim to do so, as this was their only alternative from being taken prisoners.

Below I transmit to you a list of those killed, wounded, and missing. Having no means of ascertaining the actual facts in the case, of course there are many unavoidable inaccuracies in the list, and it is but reasonable to suppose that at least a large proportion of those reported as wounded and missing are among the dead.*

On the death of Colonel E. D. Baker, acting brigadier-general, Colonel

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*Ten nominal lists omitted above show casualties to have been 9 killed, 10 wounded, and 135 missing; but see report No. 3.

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