by Captain Ransom's directions, I took my former position on the river bank, to protect the removal of the pontoon bridges.

Next morning we discovered the enemy advancing in line of skirmishers, and as some of them ran to a building in a group, I dropped a couple of spherical case among them, which killed 4, and drove the balance, with their cavalry, back. I afterward, by General Meade's orders, opened on a battery by the hospital, and prevented it from being planted. The bridges were all safely removed, and, by your orders, I retired to camp, reporting back to Captain Ransom.

In regard to the conduct of the men and officers of this battery, I would state that they discharged their duty faithfully and promptly, the greatest enthusiasm prevailing at all times.

Please find annexed a list of killed and wounded;* also tabular statements of expenditure, &c.+

I remain, sir, your obedient servant,

JNumbers G. SIMPSON,

Lieutenant, Commanding Battery A, First Pennsylvania Artillery.

Colonel C. S. WAINWRIGHT,

Acting Chief of Artillery, First Corps.

Numbers 245. Report of Captain James H. Cooper, Battery B, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery.

DECEMBER --, 1862.

SIR: On the morning of the 13th, the battery advanced with Meade's division to an elevated piece of ground in the front of the enemy's right wing. Here it came into action, and engaged one of the enemy's batteries, which was enfilading the line of infantry advancing on our right. After about one hour's slow firing, aided by Battery A, First Pennsylvania Artillery, we succeeded in compelling this battery to retire, when, by order of General Reynolds, the battery's front was changed to fire across the railroad into the woods, distant about 1,000 yards. This woods we shelled at intervals for about one hour, when the Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps deployed as skirmishers on the left of the battery and advanced a few rods, which drew the fire of four or five of the enemy's guns, posted in the edge of the woods in our front. We immediately opened fire upon them, and after forty minutes' engagement the enemy's guns ceased firing, we evidently doing them some injury, one of their caissons or limbers having exploded during the engagement. We continued to shell the woods at intervals until about 1 p. m., when, an advance of the infantry being ordered, the battery, by order of Colonel Wainwright, shelled the woods with as much rapidity as possible, until the line of infantry had advanced about 150 yards, when the enemy opened upon them from the woods with ten or twelve guns. The fire of the battery was now opened upon these guns, and, with the aid of Battery G, First Pennsylvania Artillery, and Battery C, Fifth U. S. Artillery, they were all silenced but two in a few minutes. We continued to shell the woods until about 3 o'clock, when our ammunition, with the exception of canister, was exhausted. In a few minutes the infantry retreated from our front, followed by the enemy. I then requested the colonel of the Thirty-seventh New York Regiment

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 140.

+Shows 866 rounds of ammunition expended.

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