On arriving at Potter's, on the Telegraph road to Richmond, distant from Pohick Church 3 miles, I detached Colonel Hayman, of the Thirty-seventh New York Regiment, in command of that regiment, and the Third Michigan Regiment, and one battery, ordering him to take the road to Accotink village, and, crossing the stream, to proceed towards Pohick Church, I myself moving on with the two remaining regiments and Captain Thompson's battery and a company of cavalry on the Telegraph road to Accotink Creek, distant 1 mile from Pohick Church, and there halted, sending forward my aide, Captain Norvell, with a cavalry company, to reconnoiter. That officer proceeded towards the church, and in a short time reported to me that there was no enemy at that place. I moved the command into the village and occupied it. General Heintzelman came up about the same time, and directed me as soon as Colonel Hayman's command arrived to send forward a reconnaissance on the Colchester road, and also on the Telegraph road as far as the Occoquan, unless we fell in with the enemy's pickets.

General Jameson's brigade, which had been ordered up as a reserve, arrived soon after the general. Colonel Hayman arrived at about 11 o'clock a.m., some two hours, after I had occupied the village, and I directed him to make the reconnaissance to Colchester with his regiment and a company of cavalry, and also directed Colonel Terry, of the Fifth Michigan Regiment, to make the reconnaissance to Occoquan with his regiment, four pieces of Captain Thompson's battery, and a company of cavalry. Both those commands returned at about 3 o'clock p.m. without having fallen in with the enemy, Colonel Terry reconnoitering as far as the Occoquan River.

Having followed out your instructions I returned to camp with my brigade, which arrived at about 9 o'clock p.m., after a march of 35 miles.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. B. RICHARDSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Richardson's Brigade.

Brigadier General S. P. HEINTZELMAN,

P. S.-Please find herewith inclosed the reports of Colonels Terry and Hayman.

Numbers 3. Report of Colonel Henry D. Terry, Fifth Michigan Infantry.

HDQRS. FIFTH REGIMENT MICHIGAN INFANTRY,
Camp Lyon, near Alexandria, Va., November 12, 1861.

GENERAL: In pursuance of your orders, received this morning through Captain Norvell, at Pohick Church, I at once proceeded with the Fifth Michigan Regiment, four pieces of Captain Thompson's battery, and a squadron of cavalry, upon the Richmond Telegraph road towards Occoquan. After advancing half a mile I detached Companies E and K of the infantry as skirmishers, and sent them forward half a mile in advance, when the column moved on to within 1 1/2 miles of Occoquan, to a point where a road puts off from the Telegraph road to Sangster's Station, and near the residence of Mrs. Violet. I then ascertained the fact that four cavalry pickets stationed there had left about two hours before on the Sangster's Station road. Not deeming it prudent to advance the column farther, I threw out skirmishers towards Occoquan and Sangster's Station, and ascertained as the result that at Occoquan village there