12th, under the orders of Major General W. F. Smith, I reported to that officer through a staff officer at 3 a.m., and moved my division in obedience to his instructions on to the road leading to Ware Bottom Church, taking the right of General Weitzel's command. General Brooks was to take up his march on my right, by, on reaching the vicinity of Ware Bottom Church, it was determined to move me forward on the road leading by Howlett's place, placing my column on the right in order of march. Advancing by this road, I reached Redwater Creek about noon, and finding myself in presence of the enemy, I took a position in rear of this stream and opened a communication with General Weitzel, who was on the turnpike on my left. Some skirmishing occurred during the afternoon, in which I sustained a loss of 22 men killed wounded and missing from the Third New York Volunteers. Before dark I advanced my line nearly half a mile with my skirmishers on Proctor's Creek, in which position I remained all night and until noon of the 13th. I then, in obedience to instructions, moved by my left flank to the turnpike and across Proctor's Creek, taking up a position on the left of General Brooks, and to the left of the pike, in a dense growth of timber and underbrush. I got into position about dark. The Eleventh Maine and Sixth Connecticut Volunteers were here added to my command. The skirmishers along my entire from immediately engaged the enemy, who were strongly intrenched in an open field in my front. Shortly after daylight next morning it being reported that the enemy had abandoned his position, the whole line advanced about half a mile, when our skirmishers developed the enemy beyond a belt of timber in our front and behind another series of intrenchments. Line was formed at the skirts of the timber, and in this position I remained during the 15th and 16th, General Terry, of the Tenth Corps, being on my left, my skirmishers engaging the enemy most of the time.

Early on the morning of the 16th I received an order from Major-General Gillmore to hold my division in readiness to assault the enemy in my front. My skirmishers were then hotly engaged, and the enemy's artillery in my front did much damage. About this time I received notice from General Brooks that the right of General Smith's was seriously attacked by the enemy, and that he (Brooks) was moving troops from his left to resist it, which would leave a gap on my right. I immediately sent word to Colonel Barton, commanding the brigade on my right, to close into his right and keep his connection with General Brooks, which he did. About 7.30 I received another notice from General Brooks that the enemy had gained some advantage over Weitzel, and that he was sending more troops to his assistance. At the same time I received an order from Major-General Butler to send a regiment to report to Major-General Butler to send a regiment to report of Major-General Smith. In obedience to this order, the One hundred and fifteenth New York Volunteers was went, being the only regiment remaining in the second line of the Second Brigade. The others had all been used in extending my first line; and immediately the Third New York and One hundred and forty-second New York Volunteers, the only two regiments remaining in the second line of my First Brigade on my left, were rapidly marched to the right to fill the gap made by the removal of General Brooks' troops. Before reaching their position, however, the enemy had advanced in considerable numbers, and was already in possession of the ground, and was pouring a galling flank and reverse fire on my