battery-the right section, under First Lieutenant and Brevet Captain Pennington, and the center, under Second Lieutenant Clarke-were posted under your immediate directions on the other side of Bell's Creek from that upon which was stationed the section of Lieutenant Creek from that upon which was stationed the section of Lieutenant Dennison. From this position they kept up for some time a fire upon the enemy, and owing to the nature of the ground and their distance were particularly exposed to the missiles of the enemy, but fortunately no injury whatever was sustained. The section under Lieutenant Dennison fired 74 shots; the other two sections fired 25 together.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. TIDBALL,

Captain, Second Artillery, Commanding Horse Company A.

Lieu. Colonel WILLIAM HAYS, Commanding Horse Brigadier

Numbers 6. Report of Lieutenant Alexander C. M. Pennington,

Second U. S. Artillery.

MECHANICSVILLE, VA., May 26, 1862.

CAPTAIN: Me section having been detached from the battery on the morning of the 24th instant to join Brigadier-General Davidson, at his ardent request for a section of flying artillery, he being then engaged with the enemy who occupied the village of Mechanicsville in force with infantry and artillery, I have the honor to make the following report a. m. on the 24th until I rejoined the battery at 12 o'clock m. on the 25th:

Immediately upon leaving you I started the section at a brisk trot down the road toward the scene of action, and when I arrived about 1,000 yards from the village I halted my section in a field upon the right-hand side of the road until I could find General Davidson, which I soon did, and asked him where ge wished me to place my guns. I had sent one of my cannoneers on ahead to inform General Davidson that the section was on its way to join him, and when I arrived he had already selected the spot from which I was to open. It was in a wheat field, which gradually sloped up toward the houses in which the enemy was concealed, the highest point of the slope being about 200 yards from the building. Before entering the field a fence had to be taken down, for which purpose General Davidson sent for some infantry, but as they were some distance off i dismounted my cannoneers to avoid delay. After tearing down a sufficient amount I mounted the cannoneers and started the section up the slope at a trot until I reached the top of the raise, when I brought the section into battery. The enemy opening a brisk fire upon us as soon as we appeared above the rise, I sent my limbers will back under cover of the slope and opened a well directed and deliberate fire of canister upon the buildings.

After I had fired a few rounds of canister the enemy opened a section of artillery upon us, some of the shot striking very near the battery. I directed one of my guns upon the spot where I supposed the enemy's guns to be situated and fired three shells, each of which burst apparently near the enemy's battery. after my third shot the enemy ceased firing and removed their pieces. My other piece in the mean time kept up a rapid fire upon different parts of the village and the woods adjacent, riflemen in the buildings keeping up all this time a brisk fire

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