Ford was taken up and at once thoroughly repaired, the instruments were adjusted, and the party was soon ready for further service.

On the morning of May 8, 1863, I received instructions to send back to Washington the party which had reported on the 1st of May.

During the movements of the army I was kept so busily employed upon the left wing of the army and in connection with the telegraph lines that I found it impossible to visit the right wing at all. For a report of the operations upon the right I would refer you to the reports of Captain B. F. Fisher and other officers who served there. I am sorry to say that I received but very few reports from Captain Fisher during the entire engagement. The country was so densely wooded and so impracticable to signals that but little was done. The failure of reports and the removal of any method of obtaining information prevented me from intelligently performing my duties, and the meager information given me when I asked for it was very little calculated to aid me in managing the party.

When it is recollected that more than half the party engaged upon telegraph duty were new men, unaccustomed to the management of the lines, and who had joined the party but four days before the movement commenced, and that I was obliged to execute orders given to me hurriedly, by one who was unaccustomed to the special details of the service, and who, I am afraid, was not willing to acknowledge my capacity to perform my own duties, I am confident that the duties performed by the corps will compare favorably with those done by any other branch of the service.

I would respectful call the attention of the Chief Signal Officer to the accompanying reports of the officers of the corps. Their ability and energy did much toward increasing the well-known good character of the corps. I would, if I thought it consistent, mention the names of individuals, but I do not deem it necessary to here introduce a roster of the corps. Where all behaved so well, it wold be unjust to give distinct praises. The casualties were as follows: Private Alexander McCollin, severely wounded in the leg, requiring its amputation, from the effects of which he has since died. Private James B. Duff, severely wounded in the hip. Private G. H. Tousey received a flesh wound from a spent ball, which did not disable him from duty.

I regret to report the loss of one set of star flags, which were captured by the enemy with Lieutenant F. W. Marston's private baggage. As these flags were not in use, I do not think that the enemy can properly claim to have captured any of our signal flags. I refer to the report of Lieutenant Marston for the circumstances of the capture.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL T. CUSHING,

Captain and Commissary of Subsistence.

Colonel ALBERT J. MYER,

Chief Signal Officer, Washington, D. C.

Numbers 8. Report of Captain James S. Hall, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, Acting Signal Officer.

PHILLIPS HOUSE, May 9, 1863.

SIR: The operations of Set F since the commencement of the movement of the army, which has just closed, may be found below.

On the 25th April, I received orders from Lieutenant-Colonel [Charles