Troops, though severely wounded, urged on the men and drove away those who offered to assist him. Corpl. Nathan Stanton, Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops, who carried the colors, was also wounded, but would not give up the colors until the regiment retired. Sergt. William F. Robinson and Private Henry Bootman, Company E, Twenty-second, are also mentioned as especially distinguished for gallant conduct. About a dozen men of the First U. S. Colored Troops, who were captured with Captain Ward, are considered worthy of special mention, but their names cannot at present be ascertained.

In the action of the 27th the Second Brigade of this division performed a subordinate of the 27th the Second Brigade of this division performed a subordinate part, lying in line of battle in a dense thicket on the extreme left of our second line. This brigade, at that time under my command, at the same time escaped the dangers and lost the honors of the assault. The losses in the Second Brigade were 1 officer and 6 men wounded and 7 men missing. The missing men are expected to return, as they were probably passed to the rear on the march by the brigade surgeon.

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

ALONZO G. DRAPER,

Colonel, Commanding Division.

Captain D. D. WHEELER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Eighteenth Army Corps.

Numbers 331. Report of Captain Albert Janes, Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops, First Brigade, of operations September 29-30.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
In the Field, Va., October 17, 1864.

SIR: In accordance with verbal orders from headquarters First Brigade, Third Division, Eighteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to make the following report of the engagement of the 29th and 30th ultimo, in which the Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops participated, commanded by Major J. B. Cook:

At 4 a.m. on the 29th the regiment moved with the brigade from Deep Bottom, Va., toward the enemy's lies. His pickets were encountered on the edge of a woody ravine (through which runs Four Mile Creek) by the skirmishers of the Third Brigade (Duncan's), which was deployed preparatory to a charge. The First Brigade was moved in column by division, the Twenty-second in front, to the rear of the center of the line as a support. A charge was made by the Third Brigade, which proved unsuccessful. The First Brigade (the support) had in the meantime conformed to the movements of the line. The Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops was then deployed as skirmishers and moved forward under a heavy fire of artillery from the right, which nearly enfiladed the line. One officer and eight men were wounded by shells from this source. The line moved forward through a dense tangle of underbrush and felled trees into an open plain. Here the first fire of the enemy's pickets was encountered, who were stationed across the plain in a piece of woods. One man was killed and several wounded in crossing this plain. The enemy was found to be in force beyond the woods in rifle-pits covering the New Market road. The rifle-pits had an abatis in front. As the charging column came up to the support of the skirmish line a part of the regiment assembled on

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