HDQRS. ARTILLERY BRIGADE, FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
December 14, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my command in the late expedition to Belfield:

Rapidity of movement being the main object but four batteries accompanied the infantry of the expeditionary force, one marching with each division - E, Massachusetts Artillery, Bvt. Major Charles A. Philips, six 3-inch, with Crawford's division; H, First New York Artillery, Bvt. Major Charles E. Mink, four 12-pounders, with Griffins' division; B, Fourth U. S. Artillery, Bvt. Captain James Stewart, four 12-pounders, with Mott's division; Ninth Massachusetts Battery, Lieutenant R. S. Milton, four 12-pounders, with Ayres' division. Each of the 12-pounder batteries had two extra caissons along, so as to carry 175 rounds ammunition per gun. The forges of all the batteries were taken, and one battery wagon for the whole two forage wagons accompanied each battery. The roads going out were excellent. On the return the rain and frost had made them very bad, but no difficulty was experienced in keeping all the carriages in their places in column. During the whole expedition nothing was seen of the enemy in force; consequently no engagement occurred. The batteries were not even brought into position, and returned without loss of any kind save a little material, a list of which is subjoined. to the credit of the officers and men of these batteries I would state that there was but one single case of straggling and drunkenness among them, though the nature of the expedition was such as greatly tended to these evils. this man was promptly arrested and punished on the spot.

Command. Material lost.

Battery B, Fourth U. S. 1 handspike, 1 sponge and stave, 1

Artillery .............. worm and stave, 1 basket, 1 ax, 1

lantern.

Battery E, Massachusetts 3 rubber buckets, 1 spare pole, 1

Artillery .............. curry-comb, 1 wagon containing 3,000

pounds grain and belonging to

Captain S. B. Roney, assistant

quartermaster.

Battery H, First New 1 stirrup, 1 halter chain, 2 whips,

York Artillery ......... 1 saddle blanket.

Ninth Massachusetts 1 artillery bridle, 2 sponges and

Battery ................ reamers.

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

C. S. WAINWRIGHT,

Colonel and Brebet Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade.

Bvt. Colonel FRED. T. LOCKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifth Army Corps.

No. 187. Reports of Major General John G. Parke, U. S. Army, commanding Ninth Army Corps, of operations August 15-October 28.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
November 5, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor respectfully to submit the following report of the movements and operations of this corps since the date of my assuming the command, August 15, 1864. At that time we occupied the trenches before Petersburg, connecting with the Eighteenth Corps on our right and the Fifth Corps on our left:

On the 18th the right two divisions were relieved by troops of the Eighteenth Corps, and at the same time we relieved and occupied the