on the 5th of July, while on a reconnaissance with my body-guard, and died on the 10th of the same month.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.

HEADQARTERS ELEVENTH CORPS, August 31, 1863.

GENERAL: On the evening of June 30, the First Corps, with the exception of one brigade and the supply train at Emmitsburg, was located in the vicinity of Marsh Run, on the direct road from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg, and nearlz midway between those towns.

The Eleventh Corps was at Emmitsburg. Just at sunset I received a request from General Reynolds, commanding First Corps, to meet him at his headqartes. He then showed me the order from your headquarters placing him in command of the First, Eleventh, and Third Corps; also the circulars of the commanding general dated June 30, together with a confidential communication. The purport of these papers was that a general engagement was imminent, the issues involved immense, and all comanders urged to extra ordinary exertions. General Reynolds and I consulted togeder, comparing notes and information, until a late hour. I then returned to Emmitsburg. A circular from your headquarters, of June 30, required corps commanders to hold their commands in readiness to move at a moment's notice. At 3. 30 a. m. July 1, orders were received from your headquarters to move the Eleventh Corps to within supporting distance of the First Corps, which was to move to Gettysburg. I immediately sent an aide-de-camp to General Reynolds to receive his orders. At 8 a. m. orders were received from him directing the corps to march to Gettysburg. The column was at once set in motion, my First Division, General Barlow commanding, following the First Corps by the direct roule; my Third, General Schurz, and my Second, General Steinwehr, in the order named, taking the route by Horner's Mill. One battery accompanied the First Division; the remainder of the artillery [four batteries], under command of Major Osborn, accompanied the other two divisions. The distance by the direct route was between 10 and 11 miles, and by the other about l3. As soon as the corps was set in motion, I pushed on with my staff by the direct road, and when dwithin 2 miles of Gettysburg received word from General Reynolds, pointing out the place where I was to encamp; but on approaching the town, heavy artillery firing was heard. For some little time I endeavored, by sending in different directions, to find General Reynolds, in order to report to him in person. In the meantime I went to the top of a high building in Gettysburg, facing westward. I saw firing beyond Seminary Ridge and not far from the seminary. Toward the right, masses of cavalry were drawn up in order, to the ridge and to the northeast of the town. A portion of the First Corps, of General Wadsworth's command, was between me and the seminaary, taking position near the railroad. Another division of this corps was moving by the flank with considerable rapidity, along the ridge and in a northeasterly