April 1, at 6 a. m. reported back to General Hays and occupied the old line of works we left when we marched to report to General Mott. At 2 p. m. advanced the brigade and threw up strong line of works, so as to connect with Second Brigade and it with Twenty-fourth Corps. Received orders at 11 p. m. to advance a strong skirmish line, with supports, and attack the enemy's works in our front. April 2, at 6 a. m. advanced the Seventh Michigan (without knapsacks, by order of Captain Doten, division staff) and about twenty men of Firsty Minnesota, with telescopic rifles, to attack the fort. The Nineteenth Massachusetts Volunteers was sent out as reserve. At 8 a. m. Lieutenant-Colonel La Point reported that he captured the fort, also the one in the rear, and kept advancing by the left Seventh Michigan and Nineteenth Massachusetts as they were moving to the left, and were not aware that my brigade had captured them until Brevet Brigadier-General McAllister came out and found them in our hands. We captured 400 prisoners and turned them over to the division provost guard. At 8 a. m. the brigade marched by the left flank, in connection with Second Brigade, down the Vaughan road to Burgess' Mill; then marched up the Boydton plank road to within one mile and a half of Petersburg; crossed over and marched west from Petersburg on Cox's road to the house of Widow Kidd. Bivouacked for the night. April 3, moved back over the Cox road, and struck the Namozine road; moved in a southwestern direction. Bivouacked at 9 p. m. on the farm of a Mrs. Burke.

April 4 and 5, we marched to Amelia Station, on Danville road. April 6, General Hays ordered the Seventh Michigan to advance as skirmishers; the brigade followed the division column. General Hays was relieved from command and General Smyth assumed command. Shortly afterward Major-General Barlow, having been assigned to the command, ordered the brigade to move; marched in column by ranks of fours in support of Third Brigade, advancing in battalion columns of fours. At Amelia Springs, by order of General Barlow, detailed the One hundred and eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers to relieve a brigade of First Division, and remain until further orders. The Fifty-ninth New York Veteran Volunteers, commanded by Captain Ludgate, was thrown out as skirmishers to Third Brigade, at Perkinson's Saw mill, and captured a rebel wagon train.

April 7, advanced with the brigade, my brigade marching in column on the right flank of the road; arrived near High Bridge, all on Danville road; deployed the Nineteenth Maine; they advanced, and afterward moved to the right and saved the High Bridge, also a smaller bridge for crossing below the bridge; formed line of battle on left of railroad and advanced the Seventh Michigan and Fifty-ninth New York Veteran Volunteers as skirmishers and flankers. Just as the brigade moved I was ordered to move by the right flank, cross the railroad, and march in column in rear of Second Brigade to support Smyth. Advanced about two miles when we met the enemy's the skirmish line moved promptly in advance to within rifle range of Farmville, when part of the skirmish line was captured. After the position was carried was ordered to advance down the railroad to Farmville; after the men had realed for dinner took the advance and moved to the right, and