At 12 m. the whole line, consisting of my troops on the right, the Second Corps in the center, and the Ninth Corps on the left, was ordered to move forward by the commanding general of the Army of the Potomac. My line advanced rapidly, and immediately carried the crest at PAGE's house. This advance necessarily extended my line of battle to the right, and Stannard having then the most of his line to the front with Stedman, I ordered two regiments of Duncan's brigade forward to report to General Stannard to form his second line. The line was considerably advanced beyond the crest on my right. It was reported to me that the right of the Second Corps did not advance. Thereupon I directed General Neill to advance his front on the right in echelon to keep up connection with Gibson on the left and with my division on the right. By this means a farther advance was gained. At 3 p. m. I received orders from the general commanding to advance my command without any regard to my connection with my left; therefore I gave orders to advance. Neill's division was advanced about fifty paces from the right of the Second Corps, and my division advanced full 200 yards on the right. They were exposed to a severe flank fire in consequence. It was reported to me by my brigade commanders that it was not prudent for them to advance, disconnected from the line on the left. I was persuaded that I was compromising my division by persisting in any farther independent advance, and so reported to the commanding general. Besides an enemy on their left flank and in their front, they were also assailed by sharpshooters on the west bank of the Appomattox. The commanding general then gave me orders to desist from farther advance, informing me that the Second Corps had failed to make any impression by their halt and intrench on the ground I had gained if practicable, and this I did accordingly. The result of this day's operations was the capture of seventy-eight prisoners by my command and the possession of exceedingly important points, to wit, the ridge on which PAGE's house was situated and the peninsula on the north side of Harrison's Creek, extending out to the Appomattox. From these points the crossings of the railroads over the Appomattox in the center of Petersburg are easily reached. The casualties of this day's operations were:

In my division-

Killed................................... 71

Wounded.................................. 335

Missing.................................. 24

In Hinks-

Killed................................... 4

Wounded.................................. 32

In Neill's-

Killed and wounded....................... 75

We remained in this position until the evening of the 19th, when General Wright arrived with the balance of the Sixth Corps, and proceeded to relieve me and General Hinks. The operation of relieving my command was not completed until the morning of the 20th, when I returned with my division to the Eighteenth Corps at Bermuda Hundred. Here my division was again reorganized. General Stannard was ordered to the command of the First Division; the Tenth New York Artillery and Fifth Maryland Veteran Volunteers were assigned to my division. Soon after the First Brigade was reorganized by uniting with the old regiments (excepting the Eighty-ninth New York Volunteers) the Tenth New York Artillery, and placing Colonel Piper in command. The Second Brigade remains unchanged. The Third Brigade, composed of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, Fifth