No. 19. Report of Colonel Joseph E. Hamblin, Sixty-fifth New York Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations September 19-23.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS,
September 30, 1864.

MAJOR: In compliance with orders, headquarters Sixth Corps, September 26, 1864, I have the honor to report the following operations of the Second Brigade, while under my command, in the battles of Winchester, Va., September 19, 1864, and Fisher's Hill, Va., September 22, 1864:

At the battle of Winchester, September 19, this brigade was haled in reserve until about 11 a. m., when it was led into action by Brigadier General E. Upton, commanding. A few volleys at short range repulsed the advance of the enemy, and we covered, in single line, all that was possible of the interval between the right of the First Brigade, First Division, Sixth Corps, and the left of the Nineteenth Corps. About 12.30 p. m. Brigadier General E. Upton was called to command of the First Division, and the command of the Second Brigade devolved upon myself. At this time the Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery Volunteers was in line on the right, distant about 300 yards from the left of the Nineteenth Corps, the Sixty-fifth New York State Volunteers on the left, with an interval of about seventy-five yards between its right and the left of Second Connecticut. The One hundred and twenty-first New York State Volunteers had been detached by General Upton and moved some distance to the left. I did not see this regiment again until near the close of the action. the Ninety-fifth and Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers were in the rear guarding the trains. About 4 p. m., subsequent to the advance of General Crook's command on the right, the Second Connecticut Volunteer Artillery moved forward toward a piece of woods about 300 yards distant, occupied by the enemy. The movement was immediately followed by the Sixty-fifth New York State Volunteers and taken up along the whole line to the left. After crossing the field the troops were halted, reformed, two companies of the Second Connecticut sent forward through a small copse of woods in front, immediately followed by the whole line to the farther edge of the woods. From this point the open country stretched away to Winchester moved forward, changing direction to the left, while advancing under a heavy fire of shell and canister. Here Major James Q. Rice, Second Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery, an officer of high character and great gallantry, was killed, and Major Skinner, same regiment,wounded. While yet 500 yards distant from the enemy's guns, they were charged in flank by our cavalry, and the action of this day concluded, save an occasional shot from Winchester Heights as our forces advanced to the railroad, where we arrived abut sundown, subsequently moving into camp on the left of Winchester. The loss of the brigade in this action was-killed, 3 officers and 24 enlisted men; total, 27; wounded, 11 officers and 152 enlisted men; total, 163. Aggregate, 14 officers and 176 enlisted men; total, 190.

On the 21st instant this brigade left its camp on the right of the pike, about two miles from Cedar Creek, and moved under cover of timber to a position beyond the right of the Nineteenth Corps, about

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