[CHAP. XXXIII.

First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Artillery, under my command, in the late engagement at Fredericksburg, Va.:

In obedience to orders from General Burnside, I left camp at 5 p.m., December 10, and reported to you for duty. By your order, the battery was placed in position, at 11 p.m., on the extreme left of your command, and opposite the lower part of Fredericksburg.

About 6 a.m. on the 11th instant, the sharpshooters of the enemy opened a destructive fire from the houses on the opposite bank of the Rappahannock upon the men employed in laying the pontoon bridge, and I immediately opened fire upon them, continuing to fire upon them at intervals during the day until 3 p.m., when I received from you the order to join in the general bombardment of the city, which took place at that hour.

At 12 m. the 12th instant, I received orders to charge my position, as the battery was exposed to accident from the fire of the heavy guns directly in my rear. I accordingly placed the battery on the summit of the hill, about 300 yards in rear of our original position, and fired 50 round at the enemy's works from that place.

At 11 a.m. on the 14th, I received orders to report to you on the plain directly in rear of the Lacy house, and moved the battery to that point, and remained there until 9 p.m. on the 15th, when I received your order to report to Colonel Hays, commanding the artillery on the right, near Falmouth, and, in accordance therewith, moved the battery to the earthworks immediately northeast of Falmouth, remaining there until 8 a.m. the 16th, when I received orders from Colonel Hays to return to my present camp.

The battery has expended 650 rounds of ammunition, chiefly percussion shell; has met with no casualties whatever, and now has 1,300 rounds of ammunition on hand.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. W. NORTON,

Lieutenant, Commanding Battery H, First Regiment Ohio Vol. Artillery.

Colonel C. H. TOMPKINS,

Commanding Reserve Artillery.

Numbers 26. Report of Captain Richard Waterman, Battery C, First Rhode Island Light Artillery.

NEAR POTOMAC CREEK, December 21, 1862.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of Battery C, Rhode Island Artillery, while under your command:

On Wednesday, 10th instant, by command of Major-General Hooker, the battery reported to you at sunset, and, shortly after dark, took position on the bank of the Rappahannock, commanding the lower part of Fredericksburg.

During the first attempt to throw across a pontoon bridge, at a point opposite the position of the battery, at about daylight on the 11th, the battery fired at the houses sheltering the enemy's sharpshooters, firing, by command, from 3 to 6 rounds per gun, rapidly, and pausing after each period of firing to notice the effect of the shots. The battery fired at ranges not to exceed 1,000 yards, using percussion shells and solid