march at once. I immediately acted upon this order. My regiment marched in rear of the brigade. We moved on the road leading to Culpeper Mine Ford, recrossed the Rapidan River at that place, and after halting for some time on the hill on this side, we took up the line of march for our former camp, where we arrived at sunset of December 2.

During the marches, and in the skirmish near White Plains, both officers and men behaved gallantly.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ARCH. F. JONES,

Captain, Fifty-third Pa. Vols., Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant CHARLES P. HATCH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 30. Report of Colonel Hiram L. Brown, One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS 145TH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Kelly's Ford, Va., December 4, 1863.

ADJUTANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the regiment under my command during the movement of the Army of the Potomac which has just terminated:

During the night of the 25th ultimo, I received orders, through brigade headquarters, to have my command in readiness to march at sunrise of the following morning. At the time designated my regiment formed in line with the other regiments composing the brigade, and, subsequently uniting with the main column of the corps, moved along the main road leading toward Germanna Ford, on the Rapidan River, near which place we halted about noon and remained until near 3 p. m., when the brigade crossed the river in advance of all other troops. There being some delay in laying down the pontoon bridge, the troops of the Fourth Brigade waded the river, a movement attended with no little difficulty and danger owing to the depth of water and the swiftness of the current.

The rebels, some of whom had appeared on the opposite side previous to our crossing, immediately disappeared, and the Fourth Brigade soon occupied their first range of intrenchments about half mile beyond the river. The balance of the corps crossed on the pontoon bridge before sundown, and the main column proceeded forward and bivouacked during the night about 3 miles from the river. At daylight on the morning of the 27th, we moved forward cautiously on the plank road leading from Culpeper southward, the flankers for the brigade being detailed from my regiment. About noon we arrived in the vicinity of Robertson's Tavern, at which time artillery firing from one of our batteries, as well as skirmishing, was heard not far in advance. Soon afterward the Fourth Brigade was detached from the First Division and thrown forward to support the Third Division, Second Corps, then in the advance. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon the firing along the skirmish line was very heavy, and the One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers was thrown