there, Colonel Penn relieved Walker's brigade, Johnson's division, then on picket duty.

The regiment of the command were placed in position in the following order: The Sixth Louisiana Regiment, Colonel William Monaghan commanding, was stationed on the right of the works on the northern side of the river about a quarter of a mile in advance. The Ninth Louisiana Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel William R. Peck commanding, was retained in the works in reserve. To the left of the Ninth Regiment, about a quarter of a mile in advance, was placed the Eighth Louisiana Regiment, Captain Gusman commanding, the Seventh Louisiana Regiment, Colonel T. M. Terry, being in the extreme left. The Fifth Louisiana Regiment, Captain J. G. Angell commanding, was placed on picket at a point on the southern side of the river, about half way between Norman's Ford and Rappahannock Bridge, at a distance of a half mile from the latter.

Between the Sixth Regiment and the Ninth Regiment were two pieces of artillery of Green's battery, and between the right and left wings of the Ninth Regiment were two other pieces of the same command, these last two guns being somewhat to the right of a point in the works opposite the pontoon bridge.

During the 6th instant, the enemy's vedettes were observed just in advance of the woods bordering the open in front of the works at about a mile's distance. There was no firing that day between the pickets.

About 11 o'clock on the morning of the 7th instant, our vedettes reported a regiment of the enemy's infantry passing down the Warrenton and Fredericksburg road, in the direction of the right of our lines, followed shortly afterward by another body of infantry proceeding toward the same point. Colonel Penn immediately went to the vedette posts to observe the movements of the enemy, and at 11.45 o'clock a dispatch was sent to Major-General Early informing him that the enemy in force, both infantry and cavalry, as advancing and forming line of battle. At 1.15 o'clock another dispatch was sent to General Early that the enemy were still in line of battle in front, and that his skirmishers had advanced a short distance from the woods, and that a large force had moved down the river toward our right, accompanied by wagons and ambulances.

At 2 o'clock the enemy formed another line of battle about 200 yards in advance of the woods above mentioned. At this time the Fifth Louisiana Regiment, with the exception of one company and 16 men, left on picket on this side of the river at the point already indicated, rejoined the brigade and was placed in position on the right of the Seventh Louisiana Regiment.

At 2.30 o'clock the enemy's whole line advanced, supported, as then appeared, by two lines. The Sixth, Eighth, Fifth, and Seventh Regiments were then gradually drawn in, and at 3 o'clock our skirmishers fell back to the road, distant about a hundred yards from our works, where they remained for a half hour,when they were compelled to retire by a movement of the enemy to flank them. The brigade was then disposed in the rifle-pits. A few moments after this the enemy opened fire from a four-gun battery on our left on a high hill which we had been forced to abandon by the approach of a heavy force. Colonel Penn immediately sent an order to a battery on this (the southern) side of the river to reply, which was done slowly and with but little effect.