if any, was an act of humanity in providing for 16 men with sunstroke, and in doing so, I did not occupy more time then was necessary to rest men exhausted by severe picket duty. When I joined the brigade they were at a halt and remained so for two hours.

Yours, very respectfully,

H. S. FAIRCHILD,

Colonel Eighty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Captain P. A. DAVIS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Second Division, Tenth Army Corps.

No. 37. Report of Colonel N. Martin Curtis, One hundred and forty-second New York Infantry,of operations may 13-16.

HDQRS.142nd REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 19, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with orders received in your communication of the 17th instant, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my command during the four days, commencing on the 13th and ending on the 16th of May instant:

My regiment left camp inside of the lines about 4.30 a.m. on the 13th instant, and moved with the First Brigade, Second Division, up the river road between the Richmond turnpike and James River. On reaching the road leading to the Howlet house the five right companies of my regiment were detached, under command of Lieutenant Colonel A. M. Barney, and sent to skirmish the country toward the river, one of which companies took and destroyed a small sloop belonging to the enemy. These companies rejoined the regiment when near Brandy Creek, and were deployed as skirmishers, the remainder of the regiment acting as support to the line. I remained on the cross-road running from James River to the turnpike near this creek, doing picket duty on the extreme right, until the afternoon of the 15th instant, when my regiment was ordered to report to the command of the First Brigade, Second Division, at the front, where I arrived at about 4 p.m., and was detained in rear of the brigade as support until the following day at about 7 a.m., when I received orders from the brigade commander to follow the Third New York Volunteers, and while on the march I received orders from General Turner is person to form my regiment in line in front of the barracks and on the left of the Third New York Volunteers, which was done accordingly. I remained in this position some fifteen minutes under a galling fire from the enemy and suffering some loss in wounded and was then ordered to advance to the edge of the woods and occupy the rifle-pits on the extreme right of the Second Division. I moved into this position and at once advanced a line of skirmishers in the front of my regiment. Soon after occupying this position I received orders from General Turner to hold it at all hazards. About this time a force of the enemy was discovered moving to my right and rear, and opened fire on my line from their skirmishers, of which fact I notified General Turner, but receiving no further orders, sent a second and third time by Major N. G. Axtell, of my regiment, to inform the general that my regiment was in great danger of being outflanked and a portion cut off. I then received orders to face by the rear rank and retire in line, but having advanced a few paces in obedi-