Colonel Power - were in readiness to move at 2 a. m. this morning. Colonel Power's battalion was then detached, by instructions of the brigadier-general commanding, and ordered to the left, for the purpose of guarding the camp near headquarters. I proceeded with the rest of my command to the field beyond the woods in front of our camp, when, receiving orders to hold my command as reserve to the forces engaged with the enemy, I immediately directed Major Kilbourne to from line of battle facing to the enemy's works, directly in front and to the left of the road, and battalion of Volunteer Engineers under Major Butts forming line facing in the same direction and about 50 yards to the rear of the Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. The position of the battalion was soon after changed, facing to the woods on our left, and, with the battalion of the Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, forming an angle facing to the front and to the left. We remained in this position until our forces returned to camp, Major Kilbourne's battalion marching in rear to the wood, in rear of which it toss position and remained under my immediate command to check any advance they might be disposed to make. No enemy appearing, at 1 a. m. I returned with the battalion to camp.

I commend the officers and men of the entire command for their coolness and good conduct during the affair.

The only casualties in the command were Private ---, of Company ----, Volunteer Engineers, killed, and Private ----, of same company and regiment, severely wounded.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. WELSH,

Colonel Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Vols., Commanding 2nd Brigadier

Numbers 8. Report of Brigadier General Isaac I. Stevens, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division.

HDQRS. 2nd DIV., NORTH. DIST., DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
James Island, S. C., June 19, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of my division in the action of the 16th instant:*

The instructions of Brigadier General H. W. Behnajm, who command the forces, were to form my entire division before the beak of day, in secrecy and silence, at the outer pickets, and at break of day, say about 4 o'clock, to move rapidly upon the enemy's works at and about Secessionville, with the view of carrying them by coup de main. In this attack it was arranged that all the available forces of General Wright's division and Williams' brigade were to move to its support as soon as the fire from my attack was heard. In the event that the attack proved successful the other operations of the day were to be determined by the circumstances of the occasion.

My command was all in order of battle at 3.30 o'clock at the outer pickets, the head of my column being within rifle-range of the advance position of the enemy. The First Brigade, Colonel Fenton commanding, consisting of the Eighth Michigan, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Graves commanding; the Seventh connecticut, Lieutenant Colonel J. R. Hawley commanding, and the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts, Lieutenant Colonel M. Moore commanding, being in front, and the brigade of Colonel Leasure, consisting of the Seventy-ninth Highlanders, Lieutenant Colonel David Morrison commanding;

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*See also inclosure to Hunter's report, July 10, p. 48.

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