Numbers 108. Report of Captain George F. Hopper, Tenth New York Infantry.

CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA.,

December 14, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, at 6.30 a.m., on Thursday, December 11, 1862, in accordance with orders from division headquarters, the regiment took its line of march, under command of Colonel John E. Bendix, and fell in its place in the column before 7 a.m. Thursday night we bivouacked almost opposite to Fredericksburg, in a woods, about 1 1/2 miles from Falmouth, after making an attempt to cross the river, which was discontinued upon the rebel batteries commencing to shell the troops.

Before sunrise on the following day (Friday, December 12), we crossed the river, and took up position in line of battle in Carolina street, Fredericksburg, where we remained all that day and bivouacked that night.

At 10 a.m., on Saturday, December 13, we got under arms, and marching on the right of the brigade, passed through Princess Anne street, immediately after Kimball's brigade, which we were ordered to follow,at a distance of 150 paces, and support as soon as it became weakened. While passing through Princess Anne street, Colonel Bendix was wounded in the face by the explosion of a shell, and the command devolved on Captain Winchester. We filed into the open country at 11.30 a.m., and were immediately greeted by shells from several rebel batteries. Advancing to the front a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile, we lost a number of men, wounded by the enemy's incessant shelling. We took our position at a knoll, a short distance behind the front line, and sustained a heavy fire of shell and solid shot from all the rebel batteries. Captain Winchester was here mortally wounded, and the command devolved on me. A short time after, I was ordered to the front with the rest of the brigade, to support Kimball, where the regiment remained until relieved and ordered back. We were upward of two hours under fire, and suffered severely. Out of 214 men taken into action, our losses amount to, killed, 9: wounded, 54; missing, 4; total, 67.

Captain Winchester and Lieutenant Yardley were mortally wounded. Captains Newburgh and Chamberlain, Lieutenants Tait, Cunningham, Rogers, and Morrell were all wounded.

We bivouacked the night of December 13 in front of the division hospital; remained there through December 14, and, on the morning of December 15, we were detailed to carry over the wounded of this division, by command of General French.

On the night of December 15, all of the regiment who were then in Fredericksburg were ordered to cross to this side of the river and return to this camp.

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. F. HOPPER,

Captain Tenth New York Volunteers, Commanding Regiment,

Lieutenant WILLIAM P. SEVILLE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade.