enemy. On May 24 the rebels made a determined attack upon Wilson's Landing on James River, garrisoned chiefly by colored troops. The mail-boat was stopped and all the troops on board were landed to meet the assault. Among them were 6 enlisted men of the First Connecticut Artillery, returning from veteran volunteer furlough. Although no officer of the regiment was present, these men volunteered to serve a 10-pounder Parrott then silenced, and did so so effectively as to contribute materially to the repulse of the rebels. They fired about 80 rounds, some being double-shotted canister, at about 200 yards range, and their gun was the only one not silenced by the enemy. The names of these brave soldiers are Sergt. W. H. H. Bingham, Company G; Privates W. B. Watson, Company H, James Kelly (since killed by a shell in front of Petersburg), H. G. Scott, James R. Young, and John Keaton, of Company I. On May 25 Company G, First Connecticut Artillery, Captain Osborne, was placed with two 20-pounder Parrotts in Fort Converse, on right bank of Appomattox River. Subsequently two 30-pounder Parrotts were added. They did good service in repelling an attack on May 31, and also in occasionally shelling Fort Clifton from an advanced position on the river-bank.

On May 26 Major-General Gillmore was placed in command of the whole line. On the 29th he appointed me his chief of artillery, and on June 1 his acting chief engineer. There were at this time beside my siege guns eight light batteries in Terry's division and six light batteries, with eight mounted howitzers in addition, in Turner's division. Total, eighty-two light guns.

On June 2 the rebels made a strong demonstration on our lines. Previously (on May 21) Company L, First Connecticut Artillery, Captain Pride, had been placed in the advanced redoubt, dutton, then partially completed, with two 3-pounders and one 24-pounder brass howitzers, and had energetically proceeded to put the work in fighting condition. After driving in the picket-lines on June 2 the Twenty-second South Carolina Regiment, Colonel Dantzler, made a determined assault upon this redoubt. It was repulsed with severe loss by canister fire, the colonel himself being among the killed, of whom 17 were counted. So demoralized was his command that a lieutenant and 22 enlisted men surrendered to the garrison rather than attempt to retreat under the fire. They were brought in with their arms by a detachment of Company L, First Connecticut Artillery, and some dismounted cavalry, serving as infantry supports. On June 4 a platoon of Company H, First Connecticut Artillery, with one 30-pounder Parrott, with Ashby's battery of four 20-pounder Parrotts, was placed under command of First Lieutenant George Dimock, First Connecticut Artillery, in Battery Spofford. Subsequently, after several changes, this armament was finally fixed at one 100-pounder Parrott and three 4 1/2-inch guns, all served by Lieutenant Dimock's platoon.*

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

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Colonel First Connecticut Artillery, Commanding Siege Artillery.

Brigadier General J. W. TURNER,

Chief of Staff.

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*For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I.

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13 R R-VOL XXXVI, PT II