the south bank of the river nearly 2 miles, where we went into camp near a stone house, known as Bernard's, and remained there until the next morning. Previous to reaching the house, and during the afternoon, while the brigade was closed en masse by division, we received the first fire of the enemy. The firing was of short duration, and I have but one casualty in this instance. A private of the Seventh Wisconsin was instantly killed.

At sunrise on the 13th, I received orders to form my brigade in column by regiments, and advance with the division line of battle. The Twenty-fourth Michigan, being a large regiment, its right wing was formed on the right, the left in rear of the right; the remaining four battalion 100 paces in the rear, and with and with an interval of 100 paces between the brigade on my right and the right of my command. We moved forward in this manner about half a mile, when we approached a ravine, where we halted and deployed the Twenty-fourth Michigan into line, their left reaching the river, supported by the Second, Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin and Nineteenth Indiana, formed in column by division. At this time the enemy opened upon us with artillery, but, owing to a heavy fog, his range was imperfect, which resulted in no injury to any one of my command. The skirmishers to my front and right had met the skirmishers of the enemy, and the musketry revealed the fact that they were opposing our advance. I then received orders to advance and from a line of battle on the opposite side of the ravine. The order was promptly executed by a movement by the flank across the ravine, when the brigade was deployed into line, supported on the left by the Sixth Wisconsin.

After advancing some distance, the skirmishers reported a force of cavalry and infantry concealed in a piece of pine wood skirting the river, immediately in my front. Battery B, Fourth Artillery, Lieutenant Stewart, shelled the wood, and, with the assistance of a battery of heavy guns on the opposite side of the river, succeeded in driving the enemy from their naturally strong position. The brigade the advanced in two lines upon the wood, the first line composed of the Twenty-fourth Michigan and Seventh Wisconsin; the second of the Nineteenth Indiana and Second Wisconsin, the two lines supported by the Sixth Wisconsin. As the first line approached the wood, some of the enemy were discovered,

when the Twenty-fourth Michigan pushed forward, and captured a number of prisoners and horses. In passing through the wood, fortifications were discovered, constructed for the purpose of commanding the river. Our left then advanced to within

three-fourths of a mile of the Massaponax, when we changed front and held a line running parallel with the Bowling Green road. By direction of the general commanding, our line was frequently changed; but we were under fire during the entire day.

Late in the afternoon the cannonading was terrific. One of the enemy's batteries was placed within 500 yards of my command, and was worked with great precision. It was here our heaviest losses occurred. At night we held the same relative position that we did during the day, having gained over 1 mile since morning.

I cannot close this report without reference to the officers and men of my command. The Twenty-fourth Michigan, commanded by Colonel Henry A. Morrow, is a new regiment, having never been under fire before. They showed themselves to be worthy of the praise they have battle upon entering the wood was splendid,showing both courage and discipline.