To the members of my staff, Capts. Richard Arnold, inspector-general; E. Sparrow Purdy, assistant adjutant-general; McMahon, aide-de-camp to the commanding general; Lieutenant I. J. Baker, aide-de-camp; Lieutenant J. C. Jackson, aide-de-camp, and Captain W. H. Philip, aide-de-camp, who were with me during the march, and who bravely married orders under the most trying circumstances, I owe sincere thanks. They all deserve promotion, and will, I hope, obtain it. Surg. J. B. Brown, medical director; Lieutenant C. W. Tolles, acting assistant quartermaster, and Lieutenant J. Hoff, ordnance officer, efficiently performed their appropriate duties, and I thank them for their energy and perseverance.

I inclose with this the reports of such subordinate commanders as have come in. I respectfully refer to them for the names of the officers who have distinguished themselves.

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

W. B. FRANKLIN,

Brigadier General, Commanding Sixth Provisional Army Corps.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.

No. 168. Reports of Brigadier General Henry W. Slocum,

U. S. Army, commanding First Division, of the battle of Gaines' Mill, action at Brackett's, and battles of Glenade (Frazier's Farm) and Malvern Hill.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH PROVISIONAL CORPS,
Camp near Harrison's Landing, Va., July 8, 1862.

SIR: On the 27th June last, in obedience to orders received from General Franklin, I ordered the brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Newton to cross Alexander's Bridge to the left bank of the Chickahominy to the support of General Porter. The order was received at 2 o'clock p. m., and the brigade immediately moved in light marching order. At 2.30 p. m. I was ordered to cross at the same point with the remainder of my division. The movement was executed at once, and General Taylor's brigade crossed at about 3 p. m., followed by the brigade of Colonel Barlett.

On my arrival near the field I was met by a member of General Porter's staff, who directed me to place one brigade near the right of the line of battle and another on the left of the first brigade. General Newton's brigade was at once formed in two lines, of two regiments each, the first line deployed, the second in double column, and moved to the point designated, accompanied by Lieutenant Upton's battery (D), of the Second U. S. Artillery.

This brigade was subsequently, by order of General Porter, directed to enter the woods in front of them, two regiments at one point and two at another. The Thirty-first New York and Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania, under the immediate command of General Newton, stormed the woods, which were then occupied by the enemy in very strong force, and maintained their position more than two hours under a most galling fire and against greatly superior numbers. The other two regiments of this brigade, the Eighteenth and Thirty-second New York, under command of Colonel Roderick Matheson, of the latter regiment,