No. 49.

Reports of Lieutenant Colonel Horace P. Rugg, Fifty-ninth New York Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations August 12-26 and October 26-28.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, SECOND DIV., SECOND CORPS, August 21, 1864.

SIR: I beg leave to submit the following the report of the operations of this command on the north bank of the James from the 12th day of August, 1864, to the present date:

On the afternoon of the 12th the command broke camp and marched to City Point. The next day (the 13th) embarked on transports, and same night moved up the James River to Deep Bottom, which place we reached at 1.30 a.m. of the 14th. Shortly after daybreak we debarked and moved out about two miles and a half in the direction of Four-Mile Run. Reaching this position we were maneuvered until about 4 p.m., when we were formed in two lines near Fussell's Mill and ordered to charge the enemy's works (which at that point parallel with and were just across the creek),which we did in gallant style, but were unsuccessful in driving him from them on account of the intervening brush and creek. Immediately after dusk the command was withdrawn from the creek, in which they had formed after the repulse, and moved a short distance to the left and rear, where we were massed. Our loss was quite severe and foots up as follows: Officers - killed,1; wounded, 11;missing,-. Enlisted men- killed, 24; wounded, 116; missing, 36. Total, 188.

All behaved with the greatest steadiness,and, although unsuccessful, deserve well. Colonel George N. Macy (who commanded the brigade at the time of the charge) and staff behaved with the greatest gallantly and daring. The colonel had two horses shot under him, the second one falling on and inuring him so severely that he had to be carried from the field at a time when success seemed certain. Captain Curtiss, acting assistant adjutant-general, was slightly wounded about the same time, but returned to duty two days after. Nothing important transpired after this except the sending out the Seventh Michigan Regiment on the 17th for the purpose of making a demonstration on their left. The loss in this affair was 2 enlisted men killed and 5 wounded.

The following loss was sustained on the skirmish line after the charge of the 14th, not including the loss in the Seventh Michigan: Enlisted men - killed,2; wounded, 5.

On the evening of the 20th we recrossed the James, marching all night; the next morning occupying our old camp.

I have the honor, captain, to be, your most obedient servant,
HORACE P. RUGG,

Lieutenant Colonel Fifty-ninth New York Volunteers, Commanding Brigade.

Captain A. H. EMBLER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, SECOND DIV., SECOND ARMY CORPS, August 27, 1864.

SIR: On the 21st instant this command left camp (near Southall's house) and moved across the Jerusalem plank road to the Gurley house, near Warren's position on the Weldon railroad.