after Captain Gerrish was wounded, I am indebted for much valuable aid. All the reports of the battery commanders speak in praise of the behavior of those under their command.

I remain, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. S. WAINWRIGHT,

Colonel and Chief of Artillery, First Corps.

Major-General REYNOLDS,

Commanding First Army Corps.

No. 210. Report of Brigadier General Abner Doubleday, U. S. Army, commanding First Division.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, FIRST ARMY CORPS, December 22, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on Friday, December 12, at 1.30 p.m., I crossed, with my division, the two bridges over the Rappahannock, about 1 1/2 miles below Fredericksburg, preceded by the divisions of Generals Meade and Gibbon.

To expedite the crossing, the Fourth Brigade and division artillery passed by the lower, while the three remaining brigades crossed by the upper bridge. Upon reaching the other side of the river, we found the ground very much blocked up by Smith's corps, which had not yet taken position. I left Colonel Gavin, of the Seventh Indiana Volunteers, with the Second Brigade, as a guard at the bridges, by order of General Reynolds, and then continued on with the other troops, our corps gaining ground to the left (facing down the river) as Smith's corps advanced to the front. We halted for the remainder of the day and during the night a little to the left of Bernard's house, about three-fourths of a mile from the crossing. Generals Meade and Gibbon were in front of me in two deployed lines. My troops were held in reserve in their rear, the brigades being in their numerical order from right to left, in columns of regiments, at intervals of 100 paces, our right supported by Smith's corps, our left resting upon the river. My artillery at first had been detached to answer the enemy's batteries, which had opened fire from the crests of the hills to the river, but was soon relieved and directed to report to me, with the exception of Reynolds' battery. First New York Regiment, which remained absent until next morning. The other two batteries I placed in position behind the right and left brigades, in columns of sections. While thus posted we were shelled by the enemy's

long-range guns, killing 1 man of the Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers, but otherwise doing little damage.

On the morning of the 13th, Colonel Gavin reported to me with his brigade, and the whole line advanced farther down the river. General Meade now received orders to storm the enemy's position along the heights, which run parallel to the river, supported by General Gibbon, while my division secured the left flank of the army. The railroad rune at the foot of these heights, and parallel to it and the river runs the Bowling Green road. Between this latter road and the water there is a wide open plain, and upon this most of the operations of my division took place. Relieving General Meade's advanced troops with the sharpshooters, three-quarters of a mile from the Bernard house, on the other side of the deep gorge, or ravine, we pressed on for about half a mile, driving in the enemy's skirmishers as we advanced.