On the 9th [8th] instant, receiving light marching orders, the regiment moved off with the brigade on a reconnaissance to the Hawks house, having detached two companies to throw up lunette for a section of artillery in the field beyond our line of pickets, the remainder of the regiment moving to the Hawks house as a reserve of the skirmishers until the troops were withdrawn and returned to camp. I beg leave to say that the regiment behaved splendidly, there being but two officers present, the rest having been mustered out on the morning of the 30th.

Your most obedient servant

GEO. W. BRUMM,

Captain, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant Colonel B. M. CUTCHEON,

Commanding Second Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps.

Numbers 204. Reports of Colonel Napoleon B. McLaughlen, Fifty-seventh Massachusetts Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations September 30 - October 8 and October 27 - 28.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Pegram House, Va., October 16, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with circular from division headquarters, dated October 16, 1864, I have the honor to report that my command left bivouac on the morning of the 30th of September, near the Gurley house, moved in the direction of the Yellow House, passing through the works and moving in the direction of the Peebles house by Squirrel Level road. The Fifth Corps were in our front and soon became engaged with the enemy. My brigade was placed in reserve. I was soon ordered by General Willcox to put my brigade in position in the woods to the right of Pegram house. I immediately deployed the One hundredth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers as skirmishers and sent them into the woods, with orders to connect General Potter's right and with the left of the Fifth Corps, and I followed with the balance of my command in line of battle. Just before my skirmishers became engaged I was ordered by a staff officer of General Willcox to return outside the woods with my command, which order was quickly obeyed. Was then ordered across the field to the left of Pegram's house as a support to the front line, then fighting. At this point a very severe shelling commenced, and my command was in exact range, when I moved to the left under cover of a small hill. Went into column of battalions closed in mass; remained in this position until I discovered the front line had given way, whey I deployed my brigade to stop the running soldiers from the first line, and succeeded in stopping very many. At this time I received, from General Willcox in person, the order to throw forward my right and advance, which order was promptly obeyed, and moved up to the right and left of the Pegram house, when we united on the right with the Fifth Corps line. Considerable firing was kept up during the night. When it ceased, about 10 p. m., received orders to move to the left and unite with Colonel Harriman's (First) brigade on the left, and with the troops of General Potter's division on the right near the rebel works that they captured. I attempted to obey this order; united on the left with General Hartranft, but could not find General Potter's troops. During the night I was ordered to throw up breast-works, but