Numbers 30. Report of Colonel John K. Connally, Fifty-fifth North Carolina Infantry, of the capture of Battery Huger, April 19.

APRIL 22, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to state that in compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 3, Headquarters French's Command, dated April 17, three companies from my regiment marched on Friday night, the 17th, to Norfleet's house, on the Reed's Ferry road, and on Saturday morning, the 18th, reported to Major Shumaker for duty, as specified in the order. The fort intended for the reception of the two 32-pounder rifled pieces which my regiment was to support not having been completed, a detail of 60 men was, by order of Major Shumaker, made from the three companies to finish it. This having been done on Saturday evening, the 18th, the guns were placed in position during the night.

On Saturday night, the 18th, I moved with the seven remaining companies of my regiment to Norfleet's house, and some time during the evening communicated with Major Shumaker, who advised me to place 4 men and a corporal at Le Compte's house, 4 men and a corporal at Reed's Ferry, 4 men and a corporal at a point nearly equi-distant between Le Compte's house and the ferry, and a company at Moore's house to support the three points mentioned. He also advised me to place a company near the gate at the entrance of the field in which the battery of 32-pounder pieces was situated to support it. In addition to this advice I received an order from General French in exact accordance with the major's advice, except that the company placed at Moore's should be placed at Le Compte's house. In posting my men I obeyed General French's ordered to the letter except as to placing a company at Le Compte's house. this I did not do because Major Shumaker told me that he was thoroughly acquainted with the posts mentioned, and that it was better to place the company at Moore's, which I did.

On Sunday evening, the 19th, Colonel Cunningham rode up to my quarters some time between 4 and 6 o'clock and told me in substance - I do not remember his language - that General French wished me to support the batteries. The order was general, and I immediately ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Smith and Major [A. H.] Belo to go and ascertain the position of the batteries, the number of men necessary for their support, the ground to be occupied by the support, and to report to me as early as possible. They had not been gone more than an hour or an hour and a half when I heard loud cheering in the direction of the river. A few moments afterwards an officer (I know not who) rode up and reported that Stribling's battery had been charged by the enemy and captured. I immediately ordered my regiment under arms, left one company at Moore's house to support the three posts mentioned above, two companies at the gate referred to support the battery of 32-pounder pieces, and with the seven other companies proceeded as rapidly as possible to the house nearest Stribling's battery, which was in the fort known as the Old Fort. There I came up with Captain [L. R.] Terrell, General Law's assistant adjutant-general, with two companies from the Forty-eighth Alabama Regiment. I inquired of the captain what he was doing there, and learned that he had been sent by General Law with the two companies mentioned to relieve the two companies which were in the fort when it was captured. He stated that he had arrived