the brigades to be sent to the field, and the ordnance sergeants and all detailed men with the trains to gather up and remove to the rear all the ordnance stores and arms possible. I gave my personal attention and hurried up the business everywhere on the field of my operations west of the creek, and sent an officer and a detail party to the division hospital, about a mile east of the [creek], to expedite the unloading and returning of the wagons. As soon as I was satisfied that it was prudent I ordered that some wagons have the loads of ordnance removed, and be sent to assist in removing the arms, &c., gathered in piles upon the field. But before those wagons had reached the field I was ordered by Lieutenant-General Polk to put my train in motion toward Red House Ford, some 10 miles lower down the creek. I at once sent the order to have all the wagons brought together on the road to the ford, turning those wagons from which the loads had been removed back in time for the loads to be replaced and move on with the train.

On Saturday evening I took advantage of the returning provision wagons and had several loads taken from the field. During Sunday and Monday morning I urged it upon the officer in charge of returning wagons to have them loaded with arms. Many were thus loaded, and I gave the order to take the guns to the railroad, or as far to the rear as the wagons might be taken. Transportation seemed so limited that I thought it best to ship guns from the field by any and avery conveyance. I have no list of the articles thus removed, nor have I the correct number removed by the ordnance details, but from estimates made by the officers I feel assured that the number falls little short of 3,000 guns.

Below I consolidate that portion of brigade reports showing-

Number of men taken into action.

Jackson's brigade 1,200

Maney's brigade 1,177

Wright's brigade 1,252

Strahl's brigade 1,149

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Number of rounds expended.

Jackson's brigade 53,660

Maney's brigade 36,433

Smith's brigade 26,363

Wright's brigade 12,241

Strahl's brigade 7,276

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Total 135,973

I observed nothing in relation to the effect of ammunition, either of small-arms or artillery, not being permitted to attend the major-general upon the field. But deeming it my duty, and entirely within the spirit of the order calling for this report, I beg leave to make a few suggestions which would, I think, if well matured and carefully carried [out], result in establishing some facts that would prove of use and benefit to the Ordnance Department:

If all the guns taken from the field with balls clogged in loading could be carefully unloaded and the balls examined and measured, it [would] establish one of these points: First, at what arsenal the balls were made; because, as each arsenal has its own molds, its the balls were originally too large, or whether used without suffi-