Numbers 64. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Morgan, Assistant Inspector-General and Chief of Artillery.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, May 14, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the artillery of this corps in the late movement of the army:

On the morning of April 28, the following batteries moved to Banks' Ford: Kirby's, I, First United State; Cushing's, A, Fourth United States; Thomas;, C, Fourth United States; Arnold's, A, First Rhode Island, and Pettit's, B, First New York. The following batteries remained with General Gibbon's command near Falmouth: Adams', G, First Rhode Island, and Hazard's, B, First Rhode Island. Ames' battery (G, First New York) accompanied Carroll's brigade of infantry to the United States Ford.

On the 29th, the five batteries first mentioned moved to the United States Ford, and on the 30th, together with Ames' battery, crossed the river, parking for the night near the Chandler house.

On the morning of May 1, Arnold's battery was sent out on the Fredericksburg road, and, under the direction of Captain Weed, Fifth U. S. Artillery, chief of artillery, Fifth Corps, assisted in covering the withdrawal of Sykes' division from its advanced position. One section of Cushing's battery, under Lieutenant Canby, was also in position for the same purpose.

On May 2, one section of Pettit's battery was detached with the Irish Brigade near ---- ---- Mills. About 5 p. m. the remainder of this battery relieved Knap's battery, near the Chancellor house, and soon after became engaged with a battery ont he Fredericksburg road, with no loss on our side. Kirby's battery was parked across the road near the Chancellor house until about 9 p. m., when it, with Cushing's battery, was placed in position to the right of the Plank road and beyond the Chancellor house, under direction of Captain Comstock, U. S. Engineers. Three pieces of Thomas' battery, under Lieutenant Thomas, were in position in the same vicinity, the other three pieces being placed along General Hancock's line, under Lieutenant O'Donohue (Hogan's battery).

At 3 a. m. on the morning of the 3rd, all the artillery of the corps, excepting Pettit's battery and three pieces of Thomas', were sent to the vicinity of the United States Ford, by direction of Major-General Couch. The enemy driving in our lines on the right, in the direction of the Plank road, these batteries changed front to rear. O'Donohue's pieces were occupied from time to time in shelling the woods to their left. Pettit's battery was not able to fire while our troops still held the ridge on his front, and he was moved by me to a point near the Chandler house, and placed in battery to shell the woods through which the enemy were endeavoring to force their way. He was almost immediately recalled, however, by Major-General Couch, our lines having given way and the enemy's artillery being advanced to the same ridge occupied by ours during the morning. I returned with this battery and placed it in position, and remained with it and O'Donohue's pieces long enough to satisfy myself that both officers and men were acquitting themselves handsomely. I noticed particularly the gallantry of Lieutenant O'Donohue, afterward wounded and left in the hands of the enemy.

Having previously received orders from General Hooker to bring up all the batteries of the corps which had not been engaged, I endeavored to get up Cushing's, Arnold's, and Kirby's, with the intention of putting in every gun that could be worked; but as the head of the