ception of a small force of cavalry. The command left camp at daybreak, and after proceeding about 4 miles in the direction of the railroad, encountered the enemy, strongly posted on rising ground, with a swamp and tangled growth of underbrush in their front. Here the cavalry was withdrawn the Eighth Connecticut Volunteers thrown forward as skirmishers, and my other three regiments deployed in line on the right of the road. The enemy were at once engaged, and finally, after as skirmish of some duration, were pressed back upon the railroad by the skirmishers of the Eighth Connecticut, my whole line of battle moving up in support. Colonel Drake at this time moved his brigade into position on my left, and my command was moved farther to the right, the Eighth Connecticut being thrown forward, in line of battle under a hot fire from the enemy's artillery, until they became warmly engaged with the enemy's line, which was posted behind the embankment of the railroad. The Thirteenth New Hampshire Volunteers, Colonel Stevens, was thrown forward to support this regiment, the remaining two regiments being held reserve. A ravine prevented the Eighth Connecticut from reaching the railroad, but Colonel Ward attacked the enemy with a well-sustained fire of musketry, and kept them warmly engaged for a considerable time, while the forces on our right reached and destroyed the railroad track. This object having been accomplished, the Eighth Connecticut was withdrawn without molestation from the enemy, upon whom it must have inflicted a severe loss, and with my brigade I covered the withdrawal of our forces from the railroad, holding an advanced position with the Tenth and Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiments until 6 p. m., when my whole force was withdrawn and returned to camp. The fighting of this day fell mostly upon the Eighth Connecticut, which sustained considerable loss, but behaved handsomely, driving the enemy in spirited manner wherever it met them.

My thanks are especially due to Colonel J. E. Ward, commanding that regiment, both for his coolness and gallantry and the able manner in which he handled his regiment. I regret to say that he was wounded in the engagement, his injuries being sufficiently serious to deprive me to his services for the present. On the morning of the 9th instant my brigade again left camp, and with the other troops of the division moved out in the direction of Petersburg, passing over the same road which was taken on the 7th instant. The Petersburg and Richmond Railroad was reached without opposition from the enemy. In obedient to orders from General Brooks, I moved my command along the railroad in the direction of Petersburg, and encountered the enemy this side of Swift Creek. I at once drew my command up in line of battle on the left of the railroad, and with my skirmishers attacked the enemy and drove them across the creek. Subsequently I advanced my line nearly up to the Shippen house and sent forward one regiment, the Tenth New Hampshire, Lieutenant Colonel J. Coughlin, to support Hunt's battery, which moved into position between that house and the railroad, and shelled the enemy's bridges across the creek. My brigade now connected with General Marston's on my right, while my skirmishers extended well around toward General Martindable's command on the left. Being considerably annoyed by the enemy's sharpshooters on the opposite side of the creek to the left of the Shippen house, I strengthened my skirmish line with the two flank companies of the Eighth Connecticut Volunteers, armed with Sharps rifles, and ordered them