rear of the First Brigade (Carr's), a half mile distant, in not more than twenty minutes from the time the order was received. Just before dark we reached General Hooker's headquarters, the vicinity of which was being shelled by the enemy on our left. Some three hours later the battery moved, by your orders, to a clearing about 1,000 yards in the rear, with instructions to remain in readiness to move at any moment.

About the middle of the afternoon of the 2nd instant, there was heavy firing in front of General Hooker's headquarters, and we moved by orders rapidly forward. Soon after arriving at the front, the firing ceased, and we again returned to our position in the rear. The horses were then unharnessed, and were being watered, when very heavy firing of artillery and infantry opened upon our right and front. The battery was immediately harnessed, and again moved with the utmost rapidity to the front. As we neared General Hooker's headquarters at Chancellorsville, the shot and shell from the enemy's guns fell thick and fast around us, causing no little haste and confusion among the supply teams then moving to the rear. The road was soon cleared, however, by General Patrick, and the battery moved on, turning at Chancellorsville to the right down the Fredericksburg and Gordonsville Plank road. Here an indescribable scene of confusion and disorder presented itself. Our way was literally blocked with the artillery and infantry of the Eleventh Army Corps, who were flying to the rear apparently in the utmost terror, begging in many instances by word and gesture that nothing might impede their cowardly and disgraceful flight. To turn them out of the way, much less back, was impossible, and some time elapsed before we could advance, and then only by turning into the field tot he left of the road. A section of Battery H, First U. S. Artillery, then in front of me, advanced to the foot of the hill near our line of battle. I passed the remaining four guns, and placed my battery in the first eligible position I could find, which was upon the brow of the hill some 500 or 600 yards in rear of our advance line, my right resting upon the Plank road. The position, as the battle developed, proved an admirable one.

The enemy opened upon us from a battery in the road on the hill less than 1,000 yards in front. I immediately brought my guns to bear upon the enemy's, using solid shot, and after a few rounds succeeded in silencing them for a time. One man was killed and 1 severely wounded at my right gun just as they were in the act of firing the first round. Soon after, four guns of the First U. S. Artillery (Battery H) came into position in the road on my right, and Best's and other batteries on my left. By this time, night had come upon us, but a cloudless sky and a bright moon enabled us to sight our guns with a considerable degree of accuracy.

While our infantry and the enemy's were hotly engaged, we directed our fire upon the latter with terrible effect, using shell and spherical case, which exploded at the proper time and place. The fighting continued almost without cessation until after midnight, but our infantry nobly stood their ground, and the enemy's guns were repeatedly silenced.

During the night, I threw my battery into echelon, at about two- thirds the usual intervals and distances, the better to command the slope of the hill and both flanks, and, when, not engaged in firing, and my men throw up earthworks in front of the guns, which proved of great service in the next morning's engagement. Toward morning, Captain Squier, of Major-General Berry's staff, who had a pioneer company under his command, relieved my men of this duty.

At the first glimmer of day on Sunday, the 3rd instant, the battle opened furiously upon our left and front, the enemy driving our lines