the battery about 200 yards on the road leading to the ford, when finding it impossible to proceed farther on account of the road being completely blockaded by the wagon and artillery trains belonging to the Second Army Corps, then en route for the ford, I left instructions with Lieutenant George Browne, jr., my first officer, to push ahead with the battery as fast as possible, while I went forward to find General Pleasonton, if possible, and report to him the reasons of my delay. I arrived at Major-General Couch's headquarters about 9 p. m., but was unable to find any trace of General Pleasonton's whereabouts. Colonel Carroll, commanding a brigade in the Second Army Corps, advised me to encamp for the night as near to the headquarters of the Second Army Corps as possible, and report my position by letter to him, stating to me that he was in command of the pickets on General Couch's front; that General Pleasonton could not arrive there without his knowing it, and in case he did arrive he would immediately inform him where my battery was. I accordingly returned, and found, to my great disappointment, that the battery had been unable to advance more than 100 yards from where I left it. It was now 11 o'clock at night; my animals had been without food or water and in harness since 5 o'clock in the morning, and the road being no clearer than it was five hours before, I deemed it useless to make any further attempt to proceed, and accordingly went into park, reporting by letter to Colonel Carroll.

At daylight the next morning (30th ultimo) I was again moving, but it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon before I came in sight of the river. From the immense transportation and artillery trains which occupied the road and the fields bordering thereon, waiting an opportunity to cross, I saw immediately that it would be morning before I could get a chance to cross. I accordingly rode across the river, and reported to Major-General Couch. He told me that he did know where General Pleasonton was, but that he had heard a rumor that he had crossed the river at Kelly's Ford, in advance of the Fifth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Corps. Still, of this he was not assured officially, and he therefore advised me to remain on the

north bank of the river, and await further orders from General Pleasonton.

Upon this advice, I encamped on the bank of the river, and remained there until 2 o'clock on the morning of the 1st instant, when Captain Kennedy, of General Pleasonton's staff, reached me with the news that the general's headquarters were at Chancellorsville, and directed me to report there as soon as I possibly could. I immediately moved forward, and reported to General Pleasonton at 6 a. m. By his directions, I remained near his headquarters until 3 o'clock that afternoon, when I moved down the road leading to Ely's Ford, on the Rapidan.and encamped for the night the remainder of the First Cavalry Division.

The next morning (2nd instant) I had the battery harnessed at daylight, but until 3 p. m. the day was spent resting the command and gradually moving nearer to the front. At that hour (3 o'clock) the entire command was ordered out to pursue the retreating enemy.

Proceeding to the brick house at Chancellorsville, occupied by the major-general commanding as his headquarters; thence along the road (known as the Plank road) running in an easterly direction from the house about a mile, and turning from that into a road on the left side, I moved forward until I reached a large open field, where, by General Pleasonton's order, i formed the battery in line, and remained long enough to feed and groom the horses. Across this open field the Third Army Corps was moving in line of battle, while, in the woods and under-growth