and color-guard and 18 commissioned officers; the Sixty-ninth and Eighty-eighth New York and Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Volunteers upon the right and the One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania on the left. Remained in this position some length of time, the enemy shelling briskly, wounding 3 men of the regiment seriously. Brigadier-General Meagher, commanding brigade, here directed the formation to be changed, placing the Sixty-third Regiment on the extreme left.

At near 1 o'clock moved by the flank up the street, and, filling to the left, came upon the narrow bridge crossing the mill-race under a severe and destructive fire from the enemy's artillery. A portion of the regiment crossed the bridge, but with difficulty, and to save time (under so heavy a fire) a goodly part of the officers and men forded the race and clambered up the bank, and, lying, rested a few minutes to allow all to cross and come upon the line. Then advancing double-quick about 50 yards, came upon a line of troops lying upon the ground, considerably obstructing the advance, but moved forward over them at a run, encountering an unfinished and abandoned earthwork, dividing the right and left wings, which, however, after passing, reunited, the left moving by the flank, continuing the advance in line to and passing the advanced line of skirmishers near the crest of the slope, when the infantry of the enemy appeared within short range, covered by a stone wall and earthworks. The line was halted, fired, and, lying down, continued the fire until relieved by the Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers. During this time the regiment was constantly under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, their sharpshooters from every cover within range, and the infantry in front.

From reports from reliable officers, I am pleased to say the officers and men behaved with coolness and bravery under trying circumstances, and obeyed orders with promptness.

While passing the abandoned work, or immediately thereafter, Major Joseph O'Neill, then in command, received a serious wound in the right arm, and, leaving the field, the command devolved upon Captain P. J. Condon, who conducted the regiment with skill.

After being relieved regularly, the remnant of the regiment, with the colors, came off the field, halting, by order of General Meagher, at the heads of the streets of the city, where the brigade rallied and marched to the street from which it moved in the morning, near the hospitals of the brigade. During this march Captain John Sullivan received a wound in the thigh from a round shot, from which he died on Monday night, the only officer killed. The loss in this regiment (a list* of which has been forwarded) was 1 officer and 1 enlisted man killed, 6 officers and 32 enlisted men wounded, and 4 enlisted men missing. One of the latter has since returned, having been taken prisoner and paroled.

Unable as I was to be present with the regiment (as I have ever before been with it, and wish always to be), my report may be meager; but, having submitted it to several officers, I am assured that in the main it is correct.

To attempt to speak of and enumerate the officers would be fulsome, as they have all distinguished themselves on other fields in my presence and received honorable mention therefor. In Major O'Neill I lose for a time the services of a brave and valuable assistant in the field. No braver or cooler heart and head could there be in so terrible a place. Captain R. P. Moore, too, is one of oldest and most valuable officers; while in Lieutenant McDonald, acting adjutant, I lose a good soldier,

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*Embodied in revised statement, p.129.

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