The enemy, discovering the withdrawal of the line on part of their front, made an advance; but coming in contact will the left of the detachment under Captain Cummings they opened fire, which was instantly returned, and had the effect to check their movements in that direction. Finding them making an effort to turn his flank, Captain Cummings quietly fell back to the bridge and crossed to the island, from which he was ordered to his regiment. Captain Nash, finding the enemy encroaching and his friends on his right gone, also fell back, and was ordered to his regiment. Captain Spaulding, seeing the last of the other detachments pass the bridge, crossed with his command also. The pickets on the island and left bank of the river remained - those on the island until daylight.

In about a half hour after the last detachment crossed the bridge a mounted soldier approached the bridge to the very abutment,. when he was fired on from the island. The shot was though to have taken effect, as he exclaimed as though wounded, turned to the rear, and left in a few minutes. About a dozen mounted men approached the river, opposite the island, and fired, when those upon the island returned the fire and drove them off. They then sent a strong body of skirmishers and filled the rifle-pits. At this Captain Hamilton withdrew his pickets from the island, but not without exchanging shots with the enemy. Captain Hamilton remained on duty, guarding the ford all day. At 6. 30 p. m. the brigade was ordered back to camp, where they arrived about 9. 30.

The total loss in this brigade was 2 wounded - Sergt. J. N. Hinkley and Private James F. Chase, both of the Nineteenth Maine Volunteers.

Nine muskets, abandoned by the enemy in the morning, were placed in charge of Lieutenant West, of the One hundred and twenty-fifth new York Volunteers, with instructions to turn them over to his division commander.

With much respect,

D. W. C. BAXTER,

Colonel, Commanding First Brigade.

Captain J. P. WOOD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division.

Numbers 6. Report of Captain William H. Fogler, Nineteenth Maine Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH MAINE VOLUNTEERS,
Near Stevensburg, Va., February 8, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this regiment during the 6th of 7th instant:

We left our present camp at 7 a. m. February 6, 1864, the third regiment of the brigade in the line of march. Were moved to a point near Morton's Ford, on the north bank of the Rapidan; arrived there about 11 a. m. Remained in line with the rest of the brigade during the passage of the Third Division across the river, and until dark, when we received orders to cross the river at the bridge, which was accomplished. We were placed in position on the left of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment, about half a mile from the river, and some 10 rods to the right of the road, which runs perpendicularly to the river from the bridge. At once received