still continues; it commands a complete view of the two valleys, Luray and Shenandoah, from the Blue to the Alleghany, from New Market and Luray to Staunton.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. L. HALSTED,

Second Lieutenant and Acting Chief Signal Officer.

Captain J. H. SPENCER,

Signal Corps, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

No. 11. Reports of Major General Horatio G. Wright, U. S. Army, commanding Sixth Army Corps, of operations August 6-October 10 and October 19.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS, October 18, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Sixth Corps in the battle of the Opequon, on the 19th of September:

On the 18th of that month orders were received from the headquarters of the Middle Military Division, about 2 p.m., to move upon the enemy, but before the command had been actually started the orders were countermanded with the understanding that the movement was delayed till the next day only. In the evening of the same day the orders to march were repeated, directing the movement to commence at 2 a.m. of the 19th, with the Sixth Corps in advance, followed by the Nineteenth, taking the route by the Berryville and Winchester pike, the Army of West Virginia, under Brevert Major-General Crook, then at Summit Point, to follow up the movement and halt at the Opequon crossing till further orders. Brevet Major-General Emory, commanding the Nineteenth Corps, was instructed to report to me at the crossing of the Opequon. Starting promptly at the hour designated, the Second Division, Brigadier-General Getty commanding, leading, the corps crossed the country to a point on the Berryville and Winchester pike about two miles from the Opequon, where we met the head of the Nineteenth Corps column, which, by a shorter route, had just come up, though probably starting later. Halting the Nineteenth Corps for the Sixth to pass, the march was continued to the Opequon, where, learning that Wilson's division of cavalry, which had preceded the infantry advance, had crossed the creek, passed through the defile of some two or three miles in length on the other side, and was holding the rolling ground beyond, I ordered, with the approbation of Major-General Sheridan, the halting of all trains, and the prompt advance of the infantry with one battery of artillery, the rest of the artillery being held back till it could be ascertained that it would not impede the advance of the infantry columns through the narrow gorge alluded to.

After passing the defile the infantry was promptly formed in line of battle, with the Second Division on the left, next the Third Division, and then the First Division, in reserve, with the First New York Independent Battery, LieutenantW. H. Johnson commanding, on the right. The remaining artillery was promptly brought up, and three other batteries, viz, the Fifth Maine, Battery M, Fifth U. S. Artillery, and C, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, were placed in position on the