I inclose Brevet Brigadier-General Curtis' report.

The command is deeply indebted to the Naval Brigade for efficient and hazardous services in taking the troops from the shore through a heavy surf.

We lost 1 officer, who by accident passed through our picket-line into the enemy's, and a soldier drowned in the surf; some 10 or 15 men were wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. AMES,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

Captain WHEELER,

Assistant Adjutant-General to General Weitzel.

Numbers 3. Report of Bvt. General N. Martin Curtis, One hundred and forty-second New York Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 24TH ARMY CORPS,
On board Steam Transport Baltic, December 28, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to orders I have the honor to report the operations of this brigade, since the 25th instant, as follows:

Having received orders to that effect, I, on the 25th instant, with 450 men of the One hundred and forty-second New York Volunteers and fifty men of the One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers,effected a landing about 2 p. m. on the beach some five miles from Fort Fisher without any opposition from the enemy, and having first thrown out a company of the One hundred and forty-second New York Volunteers to the right, as a protection to my rear, I deployed another company of the same regiment fronting toward Fort Fisher, and moved up the beach. On my having effected a landing, a work of the enemy's some one-quarter of a mile nearer Fort Fisher, called Half-Moon Fort, and containing one 20-pounder gun that had busted some time previous, at once made signals of surrender, but they having been perceived by the gun-boats, boats were sent ashore, and some 100 prisoners and a quantity of small-arms were removed to the vessels in the immediate vicinity, so that on my arrival at the work I found it in full possession of the navy. Having at this point thrown out flankers I continued my course up the beach with the three companies of the One hundred and forty-second New York Volunteers, and one of the One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers, leaving the company of the One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers at a second work about a mile from the point of landing, where a road crossed the point to the Cape Fear River, and continually throwing out flankers to give notice of the approach of the enemy. Having arrived at a point some mile and a half from Fort Fisher I sent Captain Jones with a party from the One hundred and forty-second New York Volunteers across the point to the river which met the telegraph wires running from Wilmington to the fort, and established themselves on the road facing toward the city and extending from the bank of the Cape Fear River to the flankers posted on the beach. My rear being thus protected I pushed the main line of skirmishers forward to within 150 paces of Fort Fisher, capturing in their advance an outwork of the fort, containing a large gun which was spiked, as it could not be removed, and completely isolating the fort from the city. The right of the skirmishers was then thrown forward