their troops at those points. To our batteries the affair was one almost of target practice. Not more than thirty or forty shell were fired at them by the enemy during the whole day, and their musketry was confided to a few very weak spurts. Their artillery fire was almost exclusively from the large redoubt back of the salient, the battery near the Clark house, and one gun in the ravine leading to General Burnside's salient. These batteries were all more or less hid from us, and the last mentioned was completely covered in a re-entering angle of their line. Every gun, however, which could be brought to bear upon these batteries was turned upon them, and they were kept comparatively quiet. With regard to the damage inflicted by our artillery practice, I can only state that the face of their works was much injured, several of the embrasures destroyed, and at least three chests of ammunition exploded in the great salient. We were also able to prevent their advancing any troops whatever over the open ground below the Clark house. So long as General Burnside's troops held their most advanced position our batteries were unable to reach the attacking columns of the enemy, as their advance was made from the opposite side. When, however, they had fallen back to the work destroyed by the explosion, and an attack was made upon that point between 1 and 2 o'clock, some twenty guns were able to open on them with shrapnel, and did their part toward the repulse of the enemy. The casualties in the command were confined to 1 officer (Major R. H. Fitzhugh) slightly wounded and 1 man in Battery E, Massachusetts Artillery; 2 men were killed and 1 wounded by a premature explosion of a gun in Battery D, Fifth U. S. Artillery. As a display of accurate firing, the affair reflected great credit on all the batteries engaged.

I remain, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. S. WAINWRIGHT,

Colonel First New York Artillery, Commanding Brigade.

Lieutenant Colonel F. T. LOCKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 143. Report of Lieutenant Robert E. Rogers, Battery B, First New York Light Artillery.

HDQRS. BATTERY B, FIRST NEW YORK LIGHT ARTY.,
August 10, 1864.

SIR: *

FIFTH EPOCH.

Broke camp on the 11th and marched five miles to near York River railroad. Marched to the Chickahominy on the 12th; crossed on the morning of the 13th. Moved out two miles and remained in the harness during then day. Marched at 7 p.m. twelve miles and camped, Marched at 7 a.m. on the 14th to Charles City Court-House and camped. Where we remained until the morning of the 16th, when we crossed the James River and marched to the front of Petersburg, arriving at 4 a.m. on the 17th. Remained in harness until 8 a.m. on the 18th, when

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* For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 11, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.648.

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