Second Brigade, Second Division.

The monthly return for July left this brigade in the entrenchments at Bermuda Hundred, Va. Here it remained until August 13, when it received marching orders.

August 14.-Reached Deep Bottom after a night's hard marching; crossed the pontoon and immediately took position in the front, doing picket duty throughout the night.

August 15.-At daylight moved to the right of the Second Corps, where the brigade rejoined the division to which it belongs.

August 16.-Occupied the works captured by General Terry's division, doing picket duty throughout the night.

August 17.-Moved to Deep Bottom, relieving detachment of General Birney's division.

August 21.-Relieved by General Foster's division and ordered back to old position in the works at Bermuda Hundred, which was reached same day.

August 25.-A little before daylight firing commenced among the pickets, which finally ended in a charge, the enemy capturing some 200 yards of our works, which were handsomely retaken by a gallant charge of 100 men of the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, with 1 commissioned officer and 22 men as prisoners.

August 26.-Colonel Barton reported from sick leave, and on the 27th resumed command of the brigade, relieving Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Coan, Forty-eighth New York Volunteers.

August 28.-Left Bermuda Hundred for Petersburg, which was reached at 10 p.m., taking the position recently held by the Eighteenth corps, where the brigade remains at the end of the month.

[September.]-The monthly return for August left this brigade in the entrenchments before Petersburg, Va., where it remained until the night of the 24th, when it moved back to the right and rear of the Tenth Corps headquarters, where it remained until the 28th.

September 28.-The brigade left at 3 p.m. and proceeded to Deep Bottom, where it arrived at 1 o'clock after a fatiguing night's march.

September 29.-At about 7 a.m. the Seventy-sixth and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers and the Forty-eighth and Forty-seventh New York Volunteers, moved with the division and proceeded to the front on the New Market road toward Richmond. At about 12 m. the brigade was ordered to support Colonel Daggett's brigade, which was about to charge a position of the enemy's works, which was held near Chaffin's farm. The brigade was then ordered to take a position on the right of the division and to assist in the assault on Chaffin's farm. The assault was unsuccessful. At dusk the brigade was ordered to fall back about one mile, near where it remains at the present time [September 30.]

[October.]-The monthly return for September left this brigade in the entrenchments near Chaffin's farm, Va., where it remained until the 7th, when, at about 8 a.m., the enemy made an attack on our right, driving in the pickets, but were handsomely repulsed by our troops. This command was moved a few hundred yards to the right, where it remains at present [October 31.]

October 27.-This morning the brigade was formed into line in obedience to orders in light marching order at 5 a.m.; moved out on Darbytown road and formed line of battle. A strong line of skirmishers was sent forward, which succeeded in driving the enemy from and holding another line of rebel works. The position was held until 2