The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Ransom's brigade, wounded, 1. Elliott's brigade, killed, 1; wounded, 1. Total, 1 killed and 2 wounded.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Lieutenant MCWILLIE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,
Petersburg, Va., October 28, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: About 10 a. m. on yesterday morning I moved Wallace's brigade to the right and relieved Sanders' and Harris' brigades in the trenches. Wise's brigade was moved from reserve into the position on the front line vacated by Wallace's brigade. My right now rests at Battery Numbers 30. About dark last evening a force from the One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, Fourth [First] Division, Second Corps, perhaps 100 strong, advanced without support upon the battery on our front line to the right of the Baxter road, known as Davidson's battery. It was the usual hour for posting and relieving pickets, and the division officer of the day, who happened to be passing at that point, mistook the force for pickets returning to the line, and gave orders to sentinels no to fire. By others this force was regarded as deserters coming to our lines. This impression was communicated by the orders on the infantry line to the gun in rear of the Creter which bore on the ground over which the force advanced. A light fire was, however, opened by our infantry to the right and left of Davidson's battery. With axes the little force opened a passage through our chevaux-de-frise and entered Davidson's battery and mingled with our men. Their hostile character having been ascertained, troops of Wise's brigade charged them and drove them out, capturing 1 lieutenant and 14 men, who report that a number of their men were wounded and killed in the advance; among the latter a lieutenant of the One hundred and fourteenth Pennsylvania Regiment.* About 10 p. m. the enemy advanced upon and drove our men from a portion of the picket-line on the right of Rives' house, occupied by troops of Wallace's brigade. General Wallace promptly threw out a force and reoccupied the line. During these events the mortar and cannon firing was very heavy, especially from Colquitt's salient to my right. Later in the night there was considerable artillery firing on my right. During the latter part of the night Brigadier-General Ransom, whose brigade is on my left and extends to the river, reported that the enemy's troops were seen to be moving to our left. It was thought they might be massing in his front.

The following casualties are reported for the twenty-four hours ending at 8 a. m. to-day: Wise's brigade, missing, 4 officers and 10 enlisted men; killed, 2 enlisted men; wounded, 13 enlisted men. Elliott's brigade, killed, 1; wounded, 13; captured, 6; missing, 2. Ransom's brigade, wounded, 3.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Lieutenant MCWILLIE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

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* Reference is probably to Lieutenant Henry D. Price, One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania Infantry; see Miles' report, p. 255.

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