After marching a few miles i was directed to send forward a regiment to report to General Emory, for which purpose the Twenty-fifth New York, Colonel Johnson, was designated. This will account for that regiment being so far in the advance when we encountered the enemy. Being ordered to post a section of artillery, supported by a regiment of infantry, at the cross-roads to secure our communications, I assigned a section of Martin's battery and the Forty-fourth New York Volunteers, Colonel Stryker, to that duty.

The head of the column came upon the enemy upon the enemy near the intersection of the road by which we were moving with the one from Ashland to Hanover Court-House, and a few minutes later, when I arrived on the ground at the head of the infantry, the Twenty;fifth New York, which had been marching with was deployed and sent forward. General Martindale, with the Second Maine, Colonel Roberts, and Twenty-second Massachusetts, Colonel Gove, the only regiments of his brigade present, was ordered to the left, with Griffin's battery (relieving a section of Benson's) to observe the railroad near Peake's Station. The Third Brigade, General Butterfield, was ordered to deploy in the field to the right and to advance.

By order of General Porter I dispatched an order to Colonel Stryker to come up from the cross-roads with his command, and then repaired to the extreme right and front. When I arrived there I found part of Berdan's Sharpshooters under the major at the southerly edge of the woods on the right of the Hanover road, with skirmishers in front, and part under the colonel at the northerly edge of the woods on the left of the interval at the enemy, who were posted in the open field near Dr. Kinney's house, with two field pieces.

The Twenty-fifth New York had advanced with the cavalry, and part of it, after the cavalry disengaged itself from the column, pushing forward too rapidly, lost two companies as prisoners and received a volley at Dr. Kinney's house from the enemy, which inflicted a severe loss. This occurred before I went to the front. Part of Berdan's regiment and Butterfield's brigade, having made its way through the woods on the left of the road, advanced in admirable order through the wheat field (Berdan on the right) toward the enemy, who posted near Dr. Kinney's house with two field pieces, after firing a few shots abandoned his position, leaving a brass 12-pounder howitzer in possession of the Seventeenth New York Volunteers, Colonel H. S. Lansing. On the left the enemy, though in strong force, retired to the woods before General Martindale after a brisk cannonade, but returned at a later period to renew the fight. This closed the first affair of the day.

The whole force was now ordered by General Porter to move on toward Hanover Court-House, and all did so except General Martindale, who, having sent the Twenty-second Massachusetts (Colonel Gove) forward through the woods by way of the railroad, remained with the Second Maine (Colonel Roberts) at the junction of the roads to watch the enemy. Whilst alone with this small regiment he ascertained that the rebels whom he had previously driven to the woods were approaching from the direction of Peake's Station. He recalled the remnant of the Twenty-fifth New york, assumed command of the Forty-fourth New York, which had opportunely arrived from the cross-roads with a section of Martin's battery, made his dispositions to meet the attack, and sent forward for re-enforcements.

The rear brigade (the second) and Griffin's battery were opposite the