sible, holding on until General Brooks passed, if I could. Harn's battery, on my left, and a regiment 300 yards in our front were the only forces remaining at this point at 7 p. m. I continued to fire into the enemy's lines until 7.30 p. m.; when Brooks' division having withdrawn, as also Harn's battery, and the enemy's skirmishers advancing on my left and rear, I considered it time to withdraw. I then fired by piece, commencing on the right, and, as each piece was fired, limbered it up and moved from the field. Before the shell from the left piece had reached the point aimed at, the entire battery was son the road to Banks' Ford. On arriving at the ford, the roll was called and every men reported present. We crossed the bridge at 1 a. m. I had not a man hurt and but 1 horse killed.

During the fight on the morning of the 3rd instant, the axle of one of my pieces was broken, and I sent a lieutenant back to camp with it to be repaired, with orders to return as soon as possible, and bring forward the battery wagon, forge, and baggage wagons. He recrossed at Fredericksburg about 6 p. m., and, learning that our division had crossed the hills at the point carried by it in the morning, he took the same route, and, after marching 1 1/2 miles beyond the enemy's works, suddenly came upon 2 of the enemy's pickets, who fled, but a battery immediately opened fire from a distance of less than 600 yards. Lieutenant Atkins changed the direction of the carriages at once, and had nearly succeeded in making good his escape when a shell, exploding in the road, frightened the mules, and one wagon was upset directly across the road, preventing the passage of the forge and remaining wagons. The drivers unhitched their horses and mules with the exception of one (a contraband) who ran away, leaving his team hitched. Before the lieutenant discovered this, the enemy was too near, and it was impossible to return. I lost, therefore, my forge, 2 wagons, and 6 mules. Lieutenant Atkins had to march over a mile exposed to the fire of the battery, and did all that was possible to bring the wagons, &c., out in safety. I fired but 545 rounds during both days.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ANDREW COWAN,

Captain First (Independent) Battery, New York state vol.

Major CHARLES MUNDEE,

Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps.

Numbers 233. Report of Lieutenant Leonard Martin, Battery F, Fifth U. S. Artillery.

CAMP NEAR WHITE OAK CHURCH, VA., May 9, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken in the recent engagement by Battery F, Fifth Artillery:

On the night of May 2, it crossed the Rappahannock. Previous to that, while on the river, it had been in position at different points along the flats opposite the position of General Brooks' division, for the purpose of protecting the flanks of that command. On the morning of May 3, having moved to a point a little below and near Fredericksburg, after an attack on the height immediately in rear of that place had been made and repulsed, a position was taken so as to fire both upon those heights and those still farther below, along which artillery could be discerned. Until the attack by which the