with orders to fire at anything he saw. Very shortly I sent forward the other gun of his section, but could not then put the other section in position in the works as the enemy was just in front of the works and could have killed all my horses and probably men while moving by the flank. After this, and while I was in the front, Lieutenant Brown was ordered by General Beauregard's aide to take position to the right of the road and in rear of the line of works. In these positions our fire had terrible effect upon the enemy. Several times they attempted to advance columns up the road, but a few well-directed shots from Lieutenant Galbraith's section would cause them to melt away into the woods. A battery of the enemy in our front, and not more than 100 yards distant, composed of three 20-pounder Parrotts and two Napoleons, suffered heavily from the fire of Lieutenant Galbraith's section, and was finally silenced by our fire, together with that of Hagood's and Johnson's brigades. This captured batteryw as afterwards presented to me by General Beauregard for the services of the First Company on that day. About 8.15 a. M. I was struck on thehead by a minie-ball and had to leave the field, and very shortly after Lieutenant Galbraith was struck in the hip. Lieutenant Brown was then in command of the battery. He withdrew at 10 o'clock, having expended nearly all his ammunition. In this engagement I lost four killed, viz: C. R. Walden, P. D. Simmons, H. Peychaud, George Chambers, and 11 wounded-Captain E. Owen, Lieutenant J. M. Galbraith, Corpl. C. A. Everett, Corpl. S. Turner, Privates J. Meyers, N. B. Phelps, E. Peychaud, J. J. Norment, C. E. Rossiter, J. Wilson, W. W. Spencer; also had 3 horses killed and 7 woiunded. One limber was broken by the mules getting frightened and running away into the woods. I fired 251 rounds, viz, rifle, 6 shell, 6 canister; Napoleons, 125 case-shot, 16 shell, 13 solid shot, 31 canister. Lieutenants Galbraith and Brown and Sergeants McGaughy, hardie, and Norment, also my corporals and men, acted with conspicuous gallantry. Every man did his duty nobly. After Lieutenant Galbraith was wounded First Sergt. J. R. McGaughy took command of his section and still retains it. Lieutenant Brown now has command of the First Company, with the captured guns presented to it.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD OWEN,

Captain, Commanding First Company, Battalion Washington Artillery.

Lieutenant Colonel B. F. ESHLEMAN,

Commanding Battalion Washington Artillery.

[36.]

Report of Captain John B. Richardson, Second Company, Battalion Washington Artillery, of operations May 5-16.

CAMP NEAR SWIFT CREEK, VA., May 27, 1864.

COLONEL: I marched from camp at Model Farm on the evening of the 5th of May with three Napoleon guns of my battery and went into position on Jordan's Hill, commanding the City Point road. oved on the 7th to Halifax and the Jerusalem plank road. ReMained there until the morning of the 11th, when I moved across the Appomattox River to Swift Creek and reported with four guns to General Hagood, of South Carolina. Marched on the Richmond turnpike and halted near the Half-Way House for the night. Marched into the fortifications at Drewry's Bluff Friday [sic], the 12th. On Saturday [sic], the 13th instant, abandoned the outer works and occupied Fort Stevens at 4 o'clock in