order of the general commanding division to Morton's Ford. Upon reaching that point it was discovered that the enemy had made a naturally strong defensible position much more formidable by several lines of earth-works, in regular parallels, commencing near the river bank and running back to the crest of the surrounding hills, which cover the ford nearly in the form of a semicircle.

The enemy had several guns in position, and large masses of infantry filled his rifle-pits and covered the neighboring hill-tops. Placing Captain Pennington's battery, M, Second U. S. Artillery (which for the time was attached to his command), in position, a galling fire was opened upon the enemy. The enemy replied vigorously. But little firing with small-arms by either party. The enemy's loss was not ascertained. I regret to state, however, that a very worthy man, a private belonging to the battery, was mortally wounded, on our side. The day wore away without material results.

At an early hour on the morning of the 27th, the brigade crossed the river accompanied by the battery. Both the regiments and the battery were immediately placed in position to prevent surprise, and the country in our front and on our flanks was well patrolled for the distance of quite 2 miles in either direction. Beyond that point the enemy remained in force during the day. At about 5 p. m. he advanced a strong line of skirmishers, supported by heavy columns of infantry, with the seeming purpose of capturing this command, or of driving it in confusion over the river. This was supposable judging from the rapid manner of his advance. The brigade made a determined resistance, and though there was some little confusion, owing to the suddenness of the enemy's assault, in the onset, order was soon restored, and the brigade retired in good order to the opposite bank of the river; occupying its position of the day before. In this engagement we lost 1 man killed, 1 mortally and 1 severely wounded, and 1, a prisoner, said to be wounded.

At 8 a. m. on the morning of the 28th, the brigade again crossed the river. The crossing was effected without opposition. But few of the enemy made their appearance during the day near our lines, and these seemed sent simply to observe. Due caution was taken in the disposition of the brigade to prevent surprise. Just at dark of this day, the enemy made a vigorous assault, evidently with the intention of surprising the command. The command, being well in hand, made such a determined resistance that, though the enemy opened his guns at half musket range, our line of skirmishers was not driven a rod from its original position, and the command did not retire to the other bank of the river until ordered to do so by the general commanding division. The command remained on the north bank of the river during Sunday, the 29th, and though the enemy made his appearance in considerable force, he did not attempt to cross; consequently there was but little fighting.

The 30th day of November, and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days of December, passed without any fighting, the command still occupying its original position on the north bank or the river. At 2 p. m. of the 3rd, the regiments of the command off duty were ordered into camp at Stevensburg, and two regiments doing grand guard duty on the river were ordered to picket the river between Germanna and Morton's Fords.

In concluding, permit me to say that in the engagements and the several skirmishers had with the enemy by this command in the time specified above, he must have sustained a considerable loss in killed