who were on our left, and four companies of the Seventh went to their support. The Eight being out of ammunition we relieved them and after dark withdrew our whole line and returned to the ground occupied at noon.

During the engagement we lost the four companies almost entire, with the addition of some 30 men from the rest of the battalions, 9 [10] officers wounded and missing, viz: Captain Julius A. Weiss, wounded and missing; Captain Thomas McCarty, missing; Captain William H. Smith, wounded; Lieutenant George R. Sherman, missing; Lieutenant D. S. Mack, missing; Lieutenant J. H. Prime, wounded; Lieutenant Sylvester Eler, wounded and missing; Lieutenant Joseph Ferguson, wounded and missing; Lieutenant Robert M. Spinney, missing; Lieutenant C. G. Teeple, wounded slightly.

On the morning of the 30th we moved to the left, inside of the works formerly occupied by the enemy, and at 1.30 p.m. again to the left to the support of the Eighteeth Corps, taking a position between a battery on our right and extending to the left, opposite the house. This part of the line, though exposed to a heavy fire, was not directly attacked by the enemy. They made two charges in heavy column on the works to our left and were sent flying back with terrible loss.

My thanks are due to the officers and men of the command for that cool, calm courage, so essential to success, that they exhibited on all occasions.

We mourn the loss of those who have left us; better officers are seldom found.

Total loss: Officers wounded and missing, 10; enlisted men killed, 20; enlisted men missing, 129; enlisted men wounded, 76; total, 235.

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

JAMES SHAW, JR.,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain M. BAILEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 296. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Llewellyn F. Haskell, Seventh U. S. Colored Troops, of operations October 27-28.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
In the Field, before Richmond, Va., October 29, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report the part taken by the Seventh Regiment U. S. Colored Troops in the operations of the 27th and 28th of October, 1864:

At 5.45 a.m. on the 27th the regiment took its place in the brigade, and, marching out through our works at the left of the First Division, I formed in line of battle on the left of the Second Brigade, in the field north of the Kell house, and then advanced through a very dense undergrowth, halting several times, until the skirmishers charged and took the enemy's line of picket-pits, when the main line halted and lay down (being called to attention several times by increased firing in our front) until 8.30 p.m., when I retired by the left flank to the south side of the Kell house and bivouacked in line for the night. At 3.30 a.m. on the 28th the regiment was formed and marched out to the skirmish line, where I relieved the Twenty-ninth Connecticut Colored Volunteers at 4.45 a.m. The noise made in so doing attracted the attention of the