point with three regiments, the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers being ordered by Captain McKeever to move up the railroad. Upon arriving near the scene of action I rode forward to report to General Kearny. Before I succeeded in finding General Kearny I met General Heintzelman, who ordered me to send one regiment to the right to the support of General Peck and to bring the remaining two regiments forward to the point where he was then standing immediately. In accordance with the above orders I ordered Colonel S. A. Dodge, of the Eighty-seventh New York Volunteers, to report to General Peck. One of General Peck's aides was present to conduct the regiment to the point where it was required. With the remaining two regiments (Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers and One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers) I filled off through the woods to the left of the Richmond road. I there met General Kearny, who ordered me to advance up the road to the abatis and deploy the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers to the right and left of that road in the abatis, and to move the One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers to the left on to the Richmond road to the abatis, and to deploy the same to the right and left of said road.

The two regiments having been disposed of as above I ordered them to clear the abatis of the enemy, who were just then entering from the opposite side in large numbers, which they succeeded in accomplishing after a very sharp engagement of about one and a half hours. Soon after my regiments had engaged the enemy in the abatis I perceived by the heavy firing upon our right that the enemy were pressing hard upon that point. As soon as our line began to waver on the right the men occupying the rifle pits in rear of the abatis broke and ran from the field. I do not know what regiments were occupying those pits. They did not belong to General Kearny's division. As soon as I perceived the men abandoning the rifle pits I galloped to the front of them, and used every exertion in my power to prevail upon them to return and hold the pits, but to no avail. The enemy had by that time succeeded in turning our right and our troops on the right were all running from the field. Seeing I was in great danger of being cut off, with my two regiments I hastened back to withdraw them from the the abatis into the woods on the left. It was with great difficulty that I succeeded in returning to my command, the enemy having entered the open field in rear of the abatis. Upon my return I found my regiments were charging the enemy through the camp in front of the abatis. I immediately ordered them to fall back, and to the left as soon as possible, which they succeeded in doing with great difficulty. Before I succeeded in withdrawing my men one of the batteries of the Fourth Corps commenced shelling the abatis and camp which my men were occupying, thereby subjecting them to the fire of the enemy in front and to that of their friends in the rear. By the order of General Kearny I moved back through the woods to a road leading to a steam saw-mill (Anderson's, I believe), which road I followed to said mill, thence to the position now occupied by my brigade.

In retreating as hastily as I was obliged to under the circumstances the men became more or less scattered. I commenced immediately to reorganize my regiments, the two detached regiments having returned to the line of works now held by General Kearny's division. I succeeded in rallying between 1,100 and 1,200 men that evening, which I placed in line on the north side of the Richmond road, in rear of the small earthwork near the road, the line extending from said work to the left of the First Long Island Regiment, the right of said regiment resting on the railroad. The troops still occupy that line.