of the brigade during the rest of the campaign were unimportant, and no special report is deemed necessary.

To my personal staff, and especially to Captain Barton, assistant adjutant-general, I am indebted for valuable assistance on the field.

I am, major, very respectfully,

J. A. WALKER,

Brigadier-General.

Major R. W. HUNTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Johnson's Division.

Numbers 109. Report of Captain Charles H. Stewart, Second Virginia Infantry.

JANUARY 22, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to instructions from brigade headquarters, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Second Regiment in the engagement of Payne's Farm on November 27, 1863:

On the morning of the 27th, we were ordered to move on the Zoar Church road, the Second Regiment bringing up the rear of brigade, crossing Mine Run at Bartlett's Mill, and at the intersection of a road leading off to the left at a point about 1 1/2 miles beyond the mill the brigade was ordered to halt, sharp but desultory firing being heard apparently in our rear. Lieutenant-Colonel Colston, who was then in command of the Second Regiment, received instructions from the brigade commander to deploy his regiment on the center and move by the left flank till he made a connection with the skirmish line of General Steuart's brigade. In moving our line of skirmishers got in advance of General Steuart's line some 200 yards, and overlapped the right of his line some considerable distance.

While gallantly dashing forward at the head of his line Colonel Colston was dangerously wounded in the leg and removed from the field. At his request I assumed command, and hastening to the left was rectifying this line, placing the left in charge of Captain Randolph, when I received orders from the brigade commander to withdrawn my line and to connect it with General Steuart's line, on my left, and General Stafford's line, on my right.

In a few minutes after our lines were established a skirmish fire was opened by the advance of the enemy, which gradually increased in intensity during the engagement. The enemy's line was re-enforced three distinct times, the last time by bringing up a line of battle, who were forced to occupy the line to which we had steadily held their skirmishers during the entire action. The endeavor to advance their line of battle upon the skirmish line was simultaneous with the appearance of our line of battle advancing to the support of the skirmish line. The skirmishers in the center of my line being upon the crest of a hill and directly in line of fire from both lines, I ordered them to fall back upon our line of battle and reform in its rear. Owing to the length of the skirmish engagement, a large number of men had expended their ammunition, but those who had any in their boxes, and those who had supplied themselves from the boxes of their wounded comrades, joined in the charge and pressed forward on the enemy. The engagement was closed at dark.