volved no movement of sufficient importance to make and impression on my mind. Early on the morning of the 16th instant, having notified Major-General Smith of the disaster to Heckman's brigade, I was directed to call on Brigadier-General Ames for re-enforcements for our right. General Ames had already sent the One hundred and twelfth New York Volunteers to the right and front, they being guided through the dense fog only by the send of musketry. He had remaining only the Ninth Maine Volunteers, which he trundled over the dense fog only by the sound of musketry. He had remaining only the Ninth Maine Volunteers, which he turned over to me, and which I instantly conducted up the turnpike, then via the cross-road to the road parallel to the turnpike, across which Heckman's brigade had originally been formed some distance farther to the front. Here I learned that the One hundred and twelfth New York had in advancing received a severe volley from the enemy in ambush, mortally wounding the commanding officer and killing and wounding many others. This, together with the density of the fog and the temporary cessation of firing, made me suspicious that the enemy were striving to turn our right still more completely by passing between our infantry and the river and taking us in rear. I therefore directed the colonel of the Ninth Maine to hold the cross-road until I could communicate with Major-General Smith. General Smith, hearing my report, ordered me tocasue this regiment to picket our right until connection should be made with the colored cavalry, whose pickets extended to the river. I made this disposition and was about to post the reserves and the One hundred and twelfth New York in a position to advance when Brigadier-General Weitzel took charge of them. Shortly afterward I was directed by the latter officer to cause these regiments to fall back slowly to the open space nearly abreast of the Half-Way House, still holding the road parallel to the turnpike. Having conducted them to that position and formed them in line I rejoined General Smith.

Later, during the engagement, I carried to Brigadier-General Brooks an order to the effect that General Weitzel's left being in danger he (General Brooks) would close into the right and protect General Witzel's left flank. No other orders of importance were given by me during the day.

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

A. H. DUTTON,

Colonel Twenty-first Connecticut Vols., Commanding Brigade.

Lieutenant Colonel NICOLAS BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 57. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas F. Burpee, Twenty-first Connecticut Infantry, of operations May 15-16.

HDQRS. TWENTY-FIRST CONNECTICUT VOL., INFTY., In the Field near Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 17, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Twenty-first Connecticut Volunteer Infantry during the 15th and 16th instant:

At 3 p. m. of the 15th I was ordered to report to General Weitzel with the regiment under my command, and was by him placed under