Report of Lieutenant William I. Clopton, Richmond Fayette Artillery.

MAY 12, 1862.

SIR: At midnight on the 4th instant I took position in Fort Magruder under command of Brigadier-General Anderson. At broad day the enemy appeared, drove in our pickets, and I then opened with two of my pieces, the first fired during the day. The enemy's sharpshooters then neared us and rained upon the cannoneers a fire of bullets which was truly terrific. This state of things continued until the charge of General Wilcox's command, when we obtained a flank fire upon the enemy's line. The enemy's sharpshooters fell back and I opened rapidly and with telling effect, and I think that it was the fire of our guns that made the enemy break and give way to Wilcox's charge, and I am sustained in that opinion by Colonel Jenkins, commanding the fort. At 4.30 p. m. I was ordered out of the fort to engage the enemy's left battery. In conjunction with one piece of Captain Dearing's I silenced one battery in about ten minutes, and then turned my attention to his extreme left battery, where I continued until ordered from the field. Our loss was very severe - 4 killed and 9 wounded. This occurred early in the day, when the whole brunt of the fight fell upon only the small force then there. My men acted with the greatest gallantry an spirit and received the compliments of the commanding officers. I am fully satisfied with them. They suffered more severely than artillery has suffered yet in this war, as far as I am able to judge.

I am, with great respect, your very obedient servant,

WILL. I. CLOPTON,

First Lieutenant, Commanding Richmond Fayette Artillery.

N. B.-If required, I can give instances of personal gallantry worthy of note, but they were so numerous I did not choose to be invidious.

Lieutenant Colonel J. THOMPSON BROWN,

Commanding, &c.

[11.]

Report of Captain Robert M. Stribling, Fauquier Artillery.

MAY 12, 1862.

COLONEL: In obedience to orders received to-day I have the honor to make the following report:

The battery was ordered on the field at 2 p. m., and took position to the right of Fort Magruder in order to support General Stuart's battery. A fire was kept up on the enemy's center for about an hour, when they fell back. The battery was then withdrawn to the hill in rear of the fort. Later in the day I was ordered to take two guns to the right of the fort and open upon a line of the enemy's skirmishers. A fire was kept up on them until night closed in, when the battery was ordered back to Williamsburg. I lost in the action, wounded, my fourth sergeant, J. T. Megeath, wounded in the leg by a musket-ball, and Privates Benj. F. Kerrick and John E. Carter, the former wounded by a musket-ball and the latter by a fragment of shell. They were left in Williamsburg. I lost 1 horse killed on the field and 8 badly wounded, four of which were deserted.

I am, colonel, with respect, your obedient servant,

ROBERT M. STRIBLING,

Captain, Fauquier Artillery.

[11.]