road. Ere I had time to comply with this order, General Couch came up and ordered me to deploy my battalion as skirmishers until some of his corps came up, which they did very soon, and relieved me, when I was ordered by him to join my own brigade, which I found at a short distance to the rear, from which point we soon marched and occupied our last camp-ground.

About 3 o'clock on the morning of the 2nd, I received an order to take a new position in the woods in front of the road leading to the United States Ford, which position I occupied until 6 p.m., when, receiving an order the whole brigade marched to the main road, toward the right, and formed line of battle in the woods near the white house, occupying this position until 5 a.m., at which time I received on order to go to the front with my battalion as a picket, which position I kept until relieving by the Eleventh U. S. Infantry, about 7 o'clock in the evening. We captured several prisoners and had 3 men wounded and 1 taken prisoner.

On the 4th and 5th we were in front of the breastworks.

About 2 a.m. on the morning of the 6th, I received an order to march to the United States Ford, on the Rappahannock River, and arrived at our present encampment after a severe march through mud and rain.

The officers of the battalion-Captain J. McCleary, acting field officer; Captain W. W. Sanders and Lieuts. D. D. Lynn, B. B. Childs, A. H. Freeman, J. P. Schindel, George Anderson, regimental adjutant; J. McKim, J. W. Clous, and T. Britton-behaved with great coolness during the engagement of the 1st, and deserve much credit for the cheerful manner with which they obeyed all orders during this period. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEVI C. BOOTES,

Captain Sixth Infantry, Commanding Regiment.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Hdqrs. Second Brigadier, Second Div., Fifth Army Corps.

Numbers 190. Report of Captain David P. Hancock, Seventh U. S. Infantry.

CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA.,

May 7, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with instructions from division headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report in reference to the late operations on the south side of the river:

During the marches of the different days previous to May 2, the men bore up well under their fatigue, and there was comparatively no straggling; in fact, with the exception of 8 men, we went into the battle-field with the same force that we left this camp.

On May 1, we were engaged with the other regiments of the brigade, when we marched up in good order to our positions, taking some few prisoners.

Our loss there was 2 killed, 9 wounded, and 5 missing among the enlisted men. Three of the missing were seen at our last position on the hill, and the probabilities are they were wounded also. All appeared to be in good spirits and did their duty cheerfully.

Where all behaved so well I can make no distinction, but would like to mention, for the favorable notice of the commanding general, Corpl.