wagons, had them loaded with forage, and returned to the corral, near the United States Ford, that night, arrived there at about 1 a.m.

During the night, provisions were taken over the river and issued to the Second and Third Divisions, giving them three days' supplies from the morning of the 3rd instant.

Upon my return that morning at 1 a.m., I found the order of the general commanding the army, issued through your adjutant general, dated May 2, 2.30 p.m., directing me to replenish my supply of provisions.

But few wagons, and those regimental, having come to the front, I immediately found the quartermaster, and, showing him the order, desired him to order up the supply trains. He issued the order, and issuing such directions as I considered necessary, the division commissaries not being where they could be found, about noon I started back, and, the supply trains having been stripped of horses in order to bring forward the ammunition trains, procured horses from the regimental wagons, and started as many of the supply wagons as possible; brought them through, and arrived at the wagon camp about 2 o'clock in the morning.

At 3.30 o'clock was awakened by the rapid explosion of shells near where I was, some of them falling in the same field where the beef-cattle were, but the most of them falling in a cavalry camp about one-third of a mile away, among some rebel prisoners and amid the ammunition trains of one of the other corps. This shelling lasted for the space of about seven minutes.

During this time the entire park had become the scene of the greatest confusion, teamsters and drivers of ambulances were fleeing to the rear in great haste upon their horses, in many instances without saddles, boots, or hats, and every path appeared to be filled with those wearing the crescent. We attempted in vain to stop the incipient panic, and the fortunate cessation of the shells soon restored order.

During the morning there were obtained from the ammunition train 90 pack mules, and upon these provisions were loaded and taken over to the troops of the First Division. After attending to this duty, having received notice from Dr. Sim, the medical director of the corps, that the wounded in hospitals were suffering from want of food, the division commissaries having failed to attend to this duty, as required by general orders from headquarters, I myself visited the several hospitals, ascertained their wants, and saw that such articles of food as were at hand were issued to them; had 3 beef-cattle killed and distributed among them.

Finding now that quite a number of wagons were empty and ready to start back for more supplies, and all the commissaries being required on th ground to attend to the issuing of supplies during the night, at 4 p.m. started myself for Stoneman's Switch, and giving blank receipts to the post commissary, directed him to load 2 wagons upon their arrival with such stores as were greatly needed by the wounded, and 1 wagon with whisky, and to forward them immediately to the front; the other wagons, when loaded, to await orders.

I returned immediately to the ford, and at daylight attempted to cross and come to the front and acquaint you with what I was doing, but, arriving at the ford, found the officer in charge had peremptory orders not to follow any one to cross. Surprised at this, I returned to the cattle corral, where Colonel Clarke, chief commissary, soon found me, and directed me to immediately return to our former camp at Boscobel with my herd.

Feeling now fully satisfied that our forces were going to withdraw, I immediately got the herd under way, and, after a long toilsome