distance was quite long and the road slippery, owing to the heavy rain which had fallen during the day; nevertheless the men worked with a will, and some hours before daylight the boats were all in position at the water's edge. So silently were these operations conducted that I judge the enemy had no idea of our presence, although conducted that I judge the enemy had no idea of our presence, although his pickets were posted on the opposite bank only a few rods from us. Just before daylight the boats were launched and filled with men by General Brooks. This regiment was then drawn back a little, and with the first leam of light the line of boats swept across the river, and after a sharp skirmish General Brooks occupied the right bank of the river. My command lay in line of battle on the bank of the river until 8 a. m. of the 29th, when I was ordered to march it to the right of the bridges which had been laid and station it to guard the mouth of Deep Run. After remaining here until 10 a. m. I was relieved, and the command was withdrawn to the heights, a little distance back from the river. We remainee afternoon of May 1, but little being done in front of us meanwhile. Just at twilight of this day the command was marched across the river and took position in the first line of battle, the Light Division doing picket duty for the whole force, which had crossed the river at this point. My whole command was virtually on picket, and as extreme vigilance was used, the men rested but little. The night wore away quietly, as did the next day (May 2), until about noon, when a company of the enemy's sharpshooters crept up Deep Run and commenced a sharp attack upon my pickets. They were repulsed and lost several men in wounded and prisoners. At 5 in the evening an advance of our entire line was ordered and we swept forward, driving the enemy everywhere before us, and forcing him to retire to the base of the line of hills which he had so strongly fortified. Here a halt was ordered, and at 8 o'clock another regiment took our place in the first line, andmy command was drawn back near the end of the bridge, where the men were permitted to rest until 11 p. m. At this hour the regiment was again put in motion and marched with the rest of the Light Division through Deep Run and advanced toward Fredericksburg.

The column moved very slowly and the entire night was consumed in this movement, so that we did not enter the streets of the town until about 5 o'clock on the morning of May 3. After a halt, we marched out and took position directly in front of the fortifications on the heights of Saint Marye, probably the strongest portion of the enemy's works. Here our lines were formed with a view to charging the enemy and taking his formidable fortifications by storm. This regiment formed the right of our lines. The right flank rested near the plank road where it winds down the hill and crossed the canal; the left rested near a small redoubt, from which the enemy had been driven in the early part of the day. On my immediate left was the Thirty-first New York, while, deployed as skirmishers, in front of both regiments was a portion of the Fifth Wisconsin. Dispositions were at once made for an attack. The men were informed what was to be done, and instructed to press on atdouble-quick to the top of the hill, over the meshes of rifle-pits to rely upon the bayonet and not to fire a shot until the fortifications were carried. At 11 o'clock an attacking column, consisting of the Sixty-first Pennsylvania and Forty-third New York, marching by the flank, moved across the bridge on my immediate right and advanced up the plank road to attack the enemy.