4. The commanding officer Third Division will, without delay, take measures to make a good road from the Vaughan road near Fort Clarke to his command.

* * * * * *

By order of Major-General Humphreys:

September CARNCROSS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH NEW YORK ARTILLERY, Camp in the Field, December 19, 1864.

Captain BLACK,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Div., Second Corps:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit a report herewith of my tour of duty as division officer of the day for December 18 and 19. The first thing noticeable was the desertion of Private Daniel McCarthy, Company E, Fifth New Hampshire Volunteers, to the enemy. Said McCarthy was one of the reserve, and was engaged at the time in carrying wood to the posts. About 8.30 p.m., 18th instant, Private Babcock, Company D, One hundred and twenty-fifth New York Volunteers, was arrested between the outer abatis and picket-line, and was sent under guard to brigade headquarters Fourth Brigade. The usual quiet prevailed along the line until about 2.30 a.m., 19th instant, when a body of the enemy (in my estimation not exceeding fifty men) under cover of the extreme darkness and a heavy for, crept close to the line of vedette posts without an alarm and made a vigorous attack, capturing the following named, all from the Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers: Private Charles Boyington, Company F, Post 1; Corporal Hurley, Company F, on Post 2 or 3; Privates Joseph Garland, William A. Barnes, and Jeremiah Fisher, Company B, Post 4, and Corpl. James H. Hannuss, Privates Frank Eisele, James Conley, August Butler, Company I, Post 5; Corporal Gillvary, Private John C. Collins, Company C, Post 7, and killed, Private John Pratt, Company B, Fifth New Hampshire Volunteers, at guard at the house near the right of the First Division line. The arms of nine of the captured men were secured from captured. A number of shots were exchanged, and the enemy retreated to their own lines. I could observe no further in juries than the cases above cited. The line was immediately re-established. I would further submit that I observed no want of vigilance on the part of officers or men; but, in my opinion, had the men displayed more firmness, the enemy would have been checked before reaching the posts.

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

SAML. L. ANABLE,

Major Seventh New York Artillery, Division Officer of the Day.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS, December 19, 1864.

Major S. CARNCROSS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that a slight demonstration was made on the right of my line at 2.30 o'clock this morning, resulting in

66 R R-VOL XLII, PT III