Wallick and Conron, of the Thirteenth Indiana, were sent out. They exchanged a few shots with the enemy, but found them too strong to make any advance.

One the succeeding day I sent Lieutenants Zent and Conron with a party of the Thirteenth Indiana to flank the works at the white house if possible. After a sharp engagement they were obliged to withdraw.

In this encounter Lieutenant Conron received a wound from which he died a few days after. He was a brave and gallant officer, and sacrificed his life in his zeal to accomplish my desire. In all these skirmishes the men and officers from the different regiments behaved in a gallant and praiseworthy manner, and one name I wish particularly a mention: Private Bircham, Company F, Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers.

On Saturday, the 18th, an unusual quietude prevailed on the picket lines. The pickets of the One hundred and twelfth New York exchanged newspapers with the enemy's pickets and received the assurance they would not be fired on as pickets. The Thirteenth Indiana was ordered to report to General Getty at the small-pox hospital.

On Sunday a portion of my command was ordered to be in readiness to from a part of an expedition on the Edenton road, and I also organized a party to push out on the Somerton road to co-operate with the former party. Said expedition was postponed and did not go out until the succeeding Friday.

The forces from my front consisted of the Eleventh, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Connecticut and the Thirteenth Indiana, under command of Colonel beach, Sixteenth Connecticut; the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York and five companies of the One hundred and twelfth New York forming a part of Colonel Drake's command. I was intrusted with the command of infantry. A report has already been furnished of the result of the expedition.* I have kept large details from the different regiments at work during the whole time building new works and strengthening the old, chopping the trees on the front, and in every was doing all I could to make our means of resistance as successful as possible. Upon hearing of the enemy's departure, early on Monday morning, and under General Corcoran's directions, I started in pursuit of the enemy, the result of which has already been furnished you officially.

During the time, I have had the following regiment on my front: The One hundred and sixty-ninth New York was added to my brigade on April 17. In addition to my brigade the Eleventh, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Connecticut and One hundred and forty-third, One hundred and twenty-seventh, and One hundred and eighteenth New York have occupied a portion of my front a different periods. The Seventh Massachusetts, First delaware, Sixteenth New York, and Fourth and Second Wisconsin Batteries also constituted at different times a part of my command. All the above commands exerted themselves to the discharge of their duties in a acceptable and praiseworthy manner, at all times meeting every detail with promptness and in every way discharging their duties in a soldierlike manner. During the time, in the different expeditions and skirmishes, the enemy met with a heavy loss, as subsequent events prove.

ROBT. S. FOSTER,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain J. J. BLODGETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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* Return of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Seventh Army Corps, for the month of April, 1863, shows a loss in this affair of 3 killed and 11 wounded.

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