some light batteries, drawn by six horses, were seen to approach the earthworks from the direction of the road, which induced the belief they were being re-enforced, probably from Fredericksburg. As soon as Colonel Bryan makes his report I will send you a copy of it. Inclosed I send you a rough sketch* of their works, & c.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. J. ABERCROMBIE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding, Warrenton Junction, Va.

Colonel SCHRIVER,

Chief of Staff.

Numbers 2. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Timothy M. Bryan, jr., Twelfth Massachusetts Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT,
Warrenton Junction, April 19, 1862.

SIR: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 37, issued from brigade headquarters, I have made a reconnaissance to the North Fork of the Rappahannock River, and have the honor to submit the following as my report:

My command consisted of seven companies Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteers, Major Burbank commanding; five companies Ninth New York State Militia [Eighty-third Infantry], Lieutenant-Colonel Atterbury commanding; five companies Twelfth Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Humphrey commanding; four companies Rhode Island Cavalry, Captain Gould commanding; two sections Matthews' battery, Lieutenant Godbold commanding; one section Thompson's battery, Lieutenant Brockway commanding; one section Sturmfel's battery, Lieutenant Molitor commanding, making a total of about 1,500 infantry, 160 cavalry, three sections of artillery with the new ordnance gun, and one section artillery with Parrott 10-pounder guns.#

I had issued orders for the command to form in the rear of the camp of the Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment at 10 o'clock, but by some misunderstanding in the change of detail for the cavalry they were not reported present till 12.30 a. m. Another half hour was occupied in detailing the advance and rear guard and flankers and getting the command under way, so that it was 1 o'clock before the rear left. Not having any map of the country or guide, I requested Lieutenant Tucker, of the Maine Cavalry, to accompany me, he having traveled the road once before. I put him at the head of the advance guard, and to his services we are indebted for our early arrival at our destination.

The roads are terrible for artillery, the caissons frequently cutting in hub-deep, so that our march was necessarily impeded much more than we could have wished.

We arrived at a cross-road near our scene of action about 7 a. m., and Lieutenant Tucker thinking they led to fords on our flanks, I dispatched a company of cavalry, about 40 men, down each to reconnoiter and warn me of any attempt to intercept our rear. The road on the left Lieutenant Wyman reports as leading directly to the ford below the bridge, as laid down on the map, about one-eighth of a mile below. Lieutenant Wyman received information from an officer and 2 men

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* Not found.

# Records show that Lieutenant Brockway commanded a section of Matthews' battery, and that Lieutenant Barry commanded the section of Thompson's battery.

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