I took a position to the left of Fort Magruder and came in battery under a heavy fire of artillery from the enemy's battery, already planted near one of our field fortifications on the left. I opened immediately on a column of infantry crossing toward the fortifications, and after about ten rounds of shell and spherical case had the gratification [to] find that I had succeeded in turning the column, which filed to the right and disappeared under the brow of a hill. About this time a new battery of the enemy was planted immediately on my right, and enfilading my whole position. I was thus under a most severe cross fire. I, however, continued to fire upon the battery in front, after the infantry disappeared, endeavoring to silence it, but the distance was too great to dismount their pieces with smooth-bore guns, and their guns were of heavier caliber and longer ranged than mine. Among the enemy's battery were two Parrott guns. I therefore turned my attention to the battery on my right, which had my range exactly, and was doing me all the damage, having already wounded one man and killed one horse of mine. I therefore charged my front to the right, and some twenty-five or thirty yards from my first position, and opened on this battery. The first battery was too far, and did not succeed in getting my range sufficiently exact for their enfilading fire to do me any damage. Their shells and case-shot burst beautifully, though not close enough, or rather not at the proper distance, to hurt me. I had been firing some time at this second battery, which was between 800 and 900 yards off in a small clearing near the edge of the woods, when Lieutenant Clopton, of the Richmond Fayette Artillery, was ordered by Colonel Jenkins to report to me. I had his two pieces placed in battery on my right. In a short time the enemy's guns ceased firing, and were withdrawn from that point, I suppose, for there was no more firing from that point during the day. Lieutenant Clopton informed me that he had only nine men for his two guns, 4 having been killed and 9 wounded while in the fort, by the enemy's sharpshooters. It was while in this position that I had my junior first lieutenant, T. F. Richardson, killed. He had just aimed a gun at the enemy's battery, and had raised up, when a piece of shell struck him just below the left collar bone, killing him instantly. Here I had two more men wounded, one in the thigh, Private Edward F. Deaton, the other, Private Dillon, in the left leg; also one horse killed. I had sergeants' horses put in the places of those killed and wounded. After the enemy's gun had ceased firing, I was ordered by Colonel Jenkins to carry my two pieces back into the fort and open on the enemy, then being driven rapidly back by our infantry. I did so immediately, and succeeded at the first shot in getting the exact range and bursting my shell and case-shot in their midst and in front of them. This fire was kept up incessantly by my two guns and one other in the fort, and by Captain Pelham's Horse Artillery outside, until the enemy ceased firing and were out of sight. Lieutenant Clopton's two pieces were placed under cover under the brow of a small hill, and there remained, not firing any more, I believe, during the day. His men, who were reduced to nine men to two pieces, were completely worn out, and unable to stand any more fatigue. His pieces while in position with me fired only three or four rounds. After I ceased firing in the fort Colonel Jenkins ordered me to take my two pieces again to the left, but Captain Stribling coming up with two 12-pounder field guns and two 24-pounder howitzers, I was ordered to take them to the left and put them in position, which I did. Captain Stribling did not, however, fire from that position, I think, but he was sent to the right of Fort Magruder and opened upon the enemy in the