opposition, the enemy's pickets falling back. This regiment then destroyed effectually every iron rail on this road for 1 mile, burning the iron until it was rendered useless. On the morning of the 15th of May we marched toward Richmond on the turnpike road to a point distant from Fort Johnson one-half mile, where our forces were then entrenched. On the morning of the 16th of May, about 4 a. m., we were ordered to fall in and re-enforce the right of our line, which had sustained a heavy attack of the enemy, and were ordered to report to General Heckman. At this time we advanced through the most dense fog I ever saw and under a severe artillery fire from Fort Johnson, and succeeded in reaching the headquarters of the general, but found no one to whom we could report. At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter, then in command, sent Lieutenant Samuel P. Hedges, Company B, One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers, acting adjutant, to the front to see if he could find any one of the general's staff, and he was taken prisoner, but before this was known the regiment was ordered to advance and soon became engaged with the enemy. At the first fire the lieutenant-colonel was mortally wounded and went to the rear. The command then devolved upon me, and I formed the regiment in line and elf the ground until I was ordered to fall back by my brigade commander. At this point Company B had 2 wounded. My regiment was then assigned to support Captain Follett's battery, and I then threw our skirmishers to the front, under command of Lieutenant Allen, Company A, One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers, when they immediately became engaged with the skirmishers of the enemy, but held their ground most resolutely until charged upon by a strong line of skirmishers, supported by a line of battle. They then fell back slowly (contesting the ground) about 40 rods, when they succeeded in checking the enemy. A lively fire was kept up all the time until about 2 p. m., when we advanced a line of battle and drove the enemy into their entrenchments, and here held them until ordered to fall back, which was done in good order, and returned within our entrenched camp.

The following are the casualties that occurred in my command:*

Very respectfully,

W. H. CHADDOCK,

Captain, Commanding Regiment,

Brigadier-General THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army.

Numbers 45. Reports of Major General William F. Smith, U. S. Army, commanding Eighteenth Army Corps, of operations May 12-16.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, June 8, 1864.

Major General B. F. BUTLER,
Commanding Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina:

GENERAL: I have the honor to send to you by one of my staff officers my official report of operations before Richmond, from 12th to 16th, inclusive, May 1864, with sub-reports, &c., complete. I also send sub-reports of operations of 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th ultimo.

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*Nominal list (omitted) shows 1 officer wounded (mortally), 1 man killed, and 9 wounded.

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