left of our line, compelling it to fall back precipitately and, thus exposing my left flank, I was compelled to fall back and occupy our old position, where my regiment did good service in preventing the enemy following up the advantages they had gained. We remained here until the assault was abandoned and the main body of our many marched back to their quarters.

Shortly after the regiment fell back to our front line I was compelled to go to the rear, having been somewhat injured by a solid shot striking me on the left side. The command of the regiment then devolved upon Captain George W. Whitman, the next senior officer. I am happy to say he discharged the duties of the responsible position to my entire satisfaction, and it affords me great pleasure to speak of the gallant manner in which he has sustained himself during this entire campaign. I have to regret the loss of Captain Samuel H. Sims, the senior captain of the regiment, who full fighting nobly while endeavoring to check the retreat of a regiment on our right. He was an officer of sterling abilities, and he leaves behind him a reputation untarnished, which, with his fine social qualities, had endeared his memory to all his surviving comrades. I cannot speak in too high terms of the gallant conduct of both officers and enlisted men of my command, and every one performed his allotted duties to my entire satisfaction.

I have forwarded an official list of the casualties which the regiment sustained.

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

JOHN G. WRIGHT,

Major, Commanding Fifty-first Regiment New York Veteran Vols.

Captain P. E. PECKHAM,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 189. Report of Captain Theodore Gregg, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Infantry, of operations July 30.

HDQRS. FORTY-FIFTH Regiment PENNSYLVANIA VET. VOLS.,
Before Petersburg, Va., August 9, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to inform you that on the 30th day of July, 1864, at 3.30 a.m., while on picket duty in front of the rebel fort mined by Colonel Pleasants, Forty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, I received orders from you, through Captain E. T. Raymond, one of your aides-de-camp, to leave a strong line of skirmishers in front of the enemy's works, under command of an efficient officer, and to march the remainder of the regiment back to the edge of the woods in rear of the works as soon as possible, as the mine was to be immediately sprung. The effective strength of the Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, under my command, was 210 men. I left 100 men on the skirmish line, under the command of Captain A. J. Fessler, of K Company, and marched the remainder (110 men and 11 officers) back to the woods above mentioned. Immediately after the explosion of the mine, destroying the rebel fort, I received orders from you, through Captain Peckham, to follow the Fourth Rhode Island Regiment to the scene of action. We marched by the left flank through the covered way. On arriving at the front line of works I gave the command to march double-