In conclusion, I have to say that I met with no loss, but the men suffered considerable from heat and the long march. They behaved very well.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

PRESTON C. F. WEST,

Captain and A. D. C., Staff Major General Wm. F. Smith.

Lieutenant Colonel N. BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, June 7, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded to Major-General Butler, commanding Department of Virginia, &c. Captain West brought back very valuable information regarding the country over which he had passed. With only 10 men he penetrated to the midst of the enemy and brought off 1 of them prisoner.

WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.

Numbers 48. Report of Lieutenant Campbell Tucker, Aide-de-Camp, of operations May 12-16.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, Va., May 21, 1864.

COLONEL: In obedience to orders received from you, I have the honor to make the following report, containing the most important orders which I carried during the campaign, commencing the 12th instant and ending the 16th instant:

May 12, about 5 a. m., I was sent to General Weitzel, whose command was then about half a mile in advance of General Ames' headquarters, with the following order:

To halt his command when the came up to the cavalry, keeping his flanks well guarded.

About 10 a. m. I carried a second order to General Weitzel:

To send a party up the road (which crosses the turnpike at that point) to see if they could connect with General Turner's command, and to keep his right informed that General Turner's command would probably come down that road.

His command at that time was on the right of the Petersburg and Richmond turnpike, a short distance in the rear of Proctor's Creek. I then went on to General Turner with the following order:

To advance down the road which General Weitzel held, and to send his artillery to the rear, as it could not be used, owing to the character of the country.

I informed him that General Weitzel had sent out a party to connect with him, if possible.

About 2 p. m. I took the following communication to General Weitzel from General Smith:

If I can bring Brooks out of this place to throw him still farther to the left, can you hold your present line on the left of the turnpike?

WM. F. SMITH.