of some 2 mile, bivouacked, for the night in the immediate presence of the enemy.

November 29, before noon, the general commanding division sent for me, and informed me that it was the intention to assault the works of the enemy in our front, and that my brigade was to lead the attack of our division, and gave me directions accordingly. The division was formed for this purpose in the afternoon, but, for some reason unknown to me, the assault was abandoned, and we bivouacked for the night.

Monday, November 30, the brigade, with the division, marched at 2 a. m. some 2 miles and joined the Second Corps, and at daylight was in line of battle for the purpose of assaulting the rebel works, this brigade again in the advance, two regiments in the front line, the One hundred and twenty- sixth Ohio and Eighty- seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, with a company from each deployed as skirmishers about 300 yards in advance. During the morning, the pickets being drawn in, the rebels closed up in the vacuum and came upon the skirmishers of the Eighty- seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, when, for a few moments, there was some sharp firing, killing 3 and wounding 4 men, the rebels falling immediately back. For some reason the assault was given up, and at 1 p. m. the division marched back to its camp of the night before, and bivouacked. December 1, at noon the brigade marched, in accordance with orders, back some 6 miles, to the junction of the Orange and Fredericksburg pike and the plank road to Germanna Ford, to support the cavalry and cover the flank while the army moved to the rear. This was done without event, and at 7 a. m., December 2, the brigade moved, with Colonel Taylor's brigade of cavalry and one battery of artillery (myself in command of the whole, by order of General Gregg), and covered the rear of the troops crossing at Culpeper Ford. A few of the rebel cavalry followed and skirmished with the rear cavalry regiments, picking up some few stragglers, but doing no other damage. After seeing all the troops, &c., cross Culpeper Ford, I crossed and placed the brigade in position, until the pontoon bridge was taken up and taken away, when I received orders from General Gregg to rejoin my corps, which I did near the ford about 2 p. m., and marched with it until sunset, when the division bivouacked in the woods.

Thursday, December 3, at 1 a. m., resumed the march, and reached Brandy Station at sunrise, and re- occupied the old camp of just one week ago.

[B. F. SMITH],

Colonel, Commanding Third Brigadier, Third Div., Third Corps.

Lieutenant J. JOHNSON,

ACTING ASSISTANT adjutant- General.

Numbers 71. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Townsend, One hundred and sixth New York Infantry.

BRANDY STATION, VA.,

December 3, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with the circular of to- day from headquarters Third Brigade, calling for a report of the operations of the One hun-

50 R R- VOL XXIX, PT I