Numbers 564. Report of Captain E. B. Brunson, C. S. Artillery, commanding Reserve Artillery Battalion.

JULY 31, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this battalion from the time it left Fredericksburg to the present time: On the evening of June 15, this battalion received orders, from headquarters artillery Third Corps, to be in readiness to move at early dawn the next morning. This battalion took up the line of march from its encampment on the Old Mine road, near Fredericksburg, early on the morning of the 16th, and reached Culpepe Court-House on the evening of the 18th, from which point we marched, via Sperryville, Front Royal, and Berryville, to Shepherdstown, reaching the latter place on the 24th. On the morning of the 25th, we crossed the Potomac at Boteler's Ford, near Shepherdstown, and proceeded through Hagerstown, Leitersburg, Waynesborough, Quincy, and Funkstown to a point on the baltimore and Chambersburg pike, 6 miles southeast of the latter place, and near the town of Fayetteville. We arrived at this point on June 27, and encamped there for two days. no incident worthy of notice occurred on the march to this place, and I may say it was most successfully conducted, especially when we consider the miserable condition of the horses' feet, for lack, of shoes, on the limestone pikes, over which a large portion of our march was made. My ordnance officer made every effort to obtain shoes, as did the chief of artillery, so I am informed, but without avail. Consequently, we were obliged to abandon some 20 horses by the time we reached this encampment. At this point, an effort was made to procure fresh horses by means of a strong. foraging party, under command of Lieutenant [J. H.] Chamberlayne, of the Crenshaw battery. This party obtained some horses, but, encountering the enemy's cavalry, Lieutenant Chamberlayne and 4 of his men were captured, and all the captured horses retaken. On the morning of the 30th, we moved on the Baltimore pike a distance of 8 miles to Cashtown, a village about 5 miles west of Gettysburg. Here we encamped for the night. We were ordered that night to report to Major-General Heth, and received orders to follow next morning immediately in the rear of General Heth's troops. On the morning of July 1, we moved forward on the Baltimore pike, in rear of General Heth's division. When within 2 miles of Gettysburg, Captain [E. A.] Marye's section of rifled guns was run forward, unlimbered in the road, and opened on a piece of woods to the left of the pike, where was stationed a reconnoitering party of the enemy. It was at this time and point that Major-General Reynolds, of the Yankee army, is reported to have been killed. After firing some eight or ten rounds, the pieces were limbered up, and the battalion moved forward to a commanding position on the right and left of the pike, a mile distant from Gettysburg.