the Cemetery Hill the First Brigade to bear to the right and the Second to form on its left. The attempt was made to carry the crest but failed. For more detailed reports see reports from my brigade commanders. Of the behavior of the officers and men I cannot speak too highly. They were repulsed, but veterans could hardly have stood the fire to which they were exposed. Colonels Sigfried and Thomas are entitled to great praise for the manner in which they handled their commands under the most trying circumstances. Lieutenant-Colonel Bross, commanding Twenty-ninth U. S. Colored Troops, fell while leading the charge of his regiment. He was a brave and accomplished officer, and in his death the command sustained a great loss. There is not an officer of the division that was in the engagement against whom aught could be said, but that he did his duty. To the members of my staff great credit is due to the manner in which they performed their duties. Surg. James P. Prince was untiring in his exertions for the care of the wounded, personally superintending the operations of his department from the hospital to the front.

Accompanying this please find a nominal list of casualties during the campaign.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDW. FERRERO,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters Ninth Army Corps.

No. 212. Report of Colonel Joshua K. Sigfried, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations July 30.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Petersburg, Va., July 31, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to orders I moved my brigade on the morning of the 30th instant down the covered way, immediately in rear of Colonel Humphrey's brigade, of the Third Division. On arriving at the meadow I was halted by the stopping of Colonel H.'s brigade. After remaining here some time, I, in accordance to orders, moved by the brigade of the Third Division, at a flank, as directed, across the field, through the crater made by the explosion of the mine. Great difficulty was experienced in passing through this crater, owing to its crowded condition-living, wounded, dead, and dying crowded so thickly that it was very difficult to make a passage way through. By the great exertions of the officers and heroic determination of the men, my brigade finally made its way through and was halted beyond by the rebel line of intrenchments, which was filled with troops of the First, Second, and Third Division; behind this line it formed in good order. The Forty-third Regiment U. S. Colored Troops moved over the crest of the crater toward the night, charged the enemy's intrenchments and took them, capturing a number of prisoners, a rebel stand of colors, and recapturing a stand of national colors. This line was part of the continuous line connecting with the crater. The balance of my brigade was prevented from advancing into this line by the number of troops of the First, Second, and Third Division in front of them. This position left my brigade very much exposed to the fire of the enemy, and it was so