and one lieutenant [Sweeney, Company K] wounded by the fire of the enemy, there was no chance of our coming in actual contact with the enemy, from the fact that the ground in front of us was occupied by others of our own troops.

We were likewise drawn out on Tuesday afternoon, July 1, but did not become engaged with the enemy, although for some time under the fire of artillery. We continued the pursuit of the enemy with the rest of the Second Brigade, who had sought the shelter of their gunboats, and after remaining for twenty-four hours near them, we were ordered back to the neighborhood of Richmond, to go into camp.

I feel that it would be invidious, where all of my officers and most of my soldiers behaved so well, to single out any one for especial praise, except that I desire to mention Private Dominick Spellman, of Company K, who bore my colors gallantly during the battle after Sergeant Taylor and Corporal Hayne, who, carrying the colors, were shot down, the latter taking them from my hands when the former was first struck, to be mortally wounded himself immediately. I have promoted Private Spellman to be color-bearer for gallantry on the field of battle.

I beg to submit appended list of casualties, marked A,* and likewise lists showing where each officer and soldier of the regiment was on the three days on which we were engaged with the enemy.+

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. H. HAMILTON,

Colonel First Regiment South Carolina Volunteers.

Brigadier General MAXCY GREGG,

Commanding Second Brigade, Light Division.

No. 335. eport of Colonel Dixon Barnes,

Twelfth South Carolina Infantry, of the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, and Frazier's Farm [Nelson's Farm, or Glendale], and Malvern Hill.

HDQRS. TWELFTH Regiment SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS, Laurel Hill, Va., July 17, 1862.

SIR: In obedience to orders from brigade headquarters I submit the following report of the part performed by the Twelfth Regiment in the late battles before Richmond:

On the 26th ultimo, at about 5 p.m., we crossed the Chickahominy near the Central Railroad, having bivouacked the night previous some 5 miles below that point, on the Meadow Bridge road. Immediately after crossing we returned in the direction of Mechanicsville, and had not advanced far before we came under the shells of the enemy, who had been attacked by the advanced forces of our division. We continued our march until we came within a half or three-fourths of a mile from the point at which the battle was progressing; formed in line of battle in a flat, where we were enabled to protect ourselves from the shell and shot of the enemy by laying on the ground. In this position we remained during the night; being annoyed considerably by the shell until a short time after dark, when the firing ceased. With the exception of 1 man, who was very slightly injured by a piece of shell, we escaped unhurt.

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*Embodied in returns, p.982.

+Not found.

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