On Saturday afternoon, the Thirty-first New York Volunteers, under Colonel Frank Jones, was quietly sent up through the valley of Deep Creek, thus turning, as it were, the left of the enemy's line, who quickly withdrew to the vicinity of the railroad, after a brief contest with, and indicting a slight loss on, the Thirty-first New York Volunteers, and our own picket line was advanced to the elevated ground just beyond and parallel with the old Richmond road.

In the meantime Neill's brigade, of Howe's division, came over and relieved the picket line.

From this time the operations of the division were intimately connected with those of the corps.

On Saturday night, orders were given for the division to follow Howe's in the direction of Fredericksburg. Just as the head of the column was crossing Deep Creek we came upon Howe, halted, and the attack was being made on the heights near Fredericksburg by Newton's division. The enemy, seeing this column, opened upon it from a battery in an earthwork to our left and front, beyond the railroad and to our left of Deep Creek. At the same time, a strong picket line of the enemy was discovered, completely covering our front. Dispositions were immediately made to meet this development. Rigby's (Maryland) battery was put in position on the crest running along and just beyond the old Richmond road, directly in front of the enemy's battery, and opened upon it with good effect. Captain McCartney, with the Massachusetts battery, was placed about 150 yards to the left of Captain Rigby. He opened on a line of the enemy that appeared on our left. These batteries were supported by the First Brigade (Jersey), under commnad of Colonel Brown. General Bartlett's brigade was in the valley of Deep Creek. The Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers was thrown forward, and drove the enemy beyond the railroad. It was supported in this by the Fifth Maine Volunteers. Russell's brigade, with Williston's battery, was on the banks of the river, near the Bernard house, to cover the extreme left. Neither the brigade nor battery were engaged. Hexamer's (New Jersey) battery, under Lieutenant Parsons, took position in the plateau between the river and the Richmond road, and fired occasionally at the batteries on the heights in rear of Fredericksburg.

The enemy kept a large force continually in our front while in this position, and appeared to be receiving re-enforcements from our left, of both infantry and artillery. One battery of four guns (20-pounders) came up from our left, and joined the one already in our front, and for a while a heavy cannonading was kept up, with some casualties on our side.

After the heights in rear of Fredericksburg were carried, the division left its position, and proceeded on the Plank road toward Chancellorsville. To cover the withdrawal, the Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers, under Colonel Penrose, in the center, the Thirty-second New York Volunteers, on the left, and the Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers, on the right, were deployed. After passing the remainder of the corps and when about 2 1\2 or 3 miles out on the Plank road, a small cavalry force of the enemy, with two or three pieces of artillery, was discovered on the road. A line of skirmishers was thrown quickly to the front, under Colonel Buck, Second New Jersey Volunteers, and the Jersey Brigade deployed, with one regiment on the left of the road, and the others, excepting the Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers, which was then in the rear, on the right. At this point several discharges were fired by the enemy from his artillery, one of which shots struck down Captain