Numbers 18. Report of Brigadier General Edward Harland, U. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. [SECOND Brigadier,] THIRD DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Suffolk, Va., May 6, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of the troops of this brigade from April 11 to present time:

On the afternoon of April 11 the brigade was placed under arms in consequence of the approach of the enemy. I received orders from General Peck to hold my command in readiness to support either General Terry or Colonel Foster, who had commands, respectively, on the right and left of Fort Nansemond.

The troops remainder under arms during the night, and on the morning of the 12th, by order of General Peck, I sent the Eighth and Sixteenth Regiments Connecticut Volunteers to occupy a portion of the breastworks on the right of Fort Union. About noon of the same day I received verbal instructions from Brigadier-General Corcoran to take command of the line of defense between Forts Union and McClellan.

On the morning of the 14th the entire brigade was posted along the line of breastworks under my command. That evening, by order of General Peck, I sent the Eighth Connecticut to report to General Getty for instructions, since which time the regiment has not been under my command.

On April 18 I was ordered to take command of the line of defenses extending from Fort Halleck to Battery Onondaga. The Eleventh and Fifteenth Regiments reported to me on April 28 and the Sixteenth on the 29th.

Nothing of any importance occurred until May 3, when, with the Eleventh, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Regiments, I took party in the reconnaissance on the Providence Church road. The regiments crossed the Nansemond at the drawn-bridge at about 9 o'clock on the morning of May 3. Immediately after the brigade had crossed the bridge the One hundred and third and Eighty-ninth New York, in the advance, engaged the enemy's pickets. The brigade halted, and remained in this position until about 12 m., when I crossed the river to confer with General Getty, and received orders from him to send one regiment to support the One hundred and third New York, which was reported to be without ammunition, and also to return and take the general direction of the movement.

I recrossed and sent the Sixteenth Connecticut, under command of Colonel Beach, up to the support of the One hundred and third Regiment, and having reaches said regiment relieved it. After relieving the One hundred and third the Sixteenth engaged the enemy and moved forward a short distance until the right of the regiment rested on the bank of the river. This position was held by the regiment until night, when the troops were withdrawn to the other side of the river.

Soon after sending the Sixteenth Connecticut to support the One hundred and third New York I received word from Colonel Derrom, commanding the Twenty-fifth New Jersey, on the right of the road, that he needed support; also word to the same effect from Colonel Stevens, commanding the Thirteenth New Hampshire, which was on the left of