mandant of his regiment as having handled his company (of which he was in command) splendidly on the skirmish line on the 19th instant, I presume there were numerous other instances of personal valor, but commandants of regiments have neglected to report them.

WM. EMERSON,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain A. J. SMITH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADIER, THIRD DIV., SIXTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Middletown, Va., November 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders from headquarters Third Division, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade on the 19th ultimo:

Before daylight I was awakened by firing on the right of our picket-line, which, being quite sharp, I turned out and was about ordering the brigade under arms, when it ceased entirely, and I again turned in. In about an hour firing again commenced to our extreme left, and apparently in our rear, which, increasing, I ordered the brigade under arms. A few minutes later Lieutenant Tracy, from division staff, came with orders to get under arms and pack up, which was accordingly done. The brigade was then ordered to move to the pike, and started by the right flank; had proceeded about half way when Lieutenant Tracy brought orders to move back to the old position, facing west. I soon received an order, through Lieutenant Tracy, to form line on the crest of a hill facing south. The brigade moved to the position by the left flank, filing to the left in two lines, and I found McKnight's battery on our left with nothing connecting on our right. The men were ordered to lie down, and troops, artillery, and wagons went pouring through our lines. It being quite foggy, it was difficult to tell when our troops were through and the enemy commencing to come. As soon as satisfied on that point the brigade commenced firing, and the crest in front was soon cleared and kept clear. Just at this time I found the right was giving way under a heavy enfilading fire from the crest where the Second Brigade had been camped. I ordered up support from the second line, but the fire was so heavy that the men could not be held there. Finding the men giving way, the fire having increased in our front, I held them as long as possible to give Captain McKnight time to get away his battery. Seeing Captain McKnight commencing to limber up, and not able to hold the men any longer, I gave the order to fall back to the next crest, which was done in good order, the men lying down until the enemy appeared on the crest we had just left, when the brigade commenced firing and soon drove the enemy off, when the brigade was again moved forward and brought off three guns that had been abandoned. Sergt. William Mahoney, color bearer of the Tenth Vermont Volunteers, was the first man to reach the guns, and mounted one of them, waving his colors for his comrades to join-him. I regret to announce that this brave soldier was afterward killed. The brigade again fell back, and, the enemy appearing on our left flank, continued to retreat until reaching a piece of woods, when the brigade was again formed on a crest under an order from General Wright, the general complimenting Sergt. Edward