Numbers 240. Report of Bvt. Major General John W. Turner, U. S. Army, commanding Independent Division.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
In Camp, near Richmond, Va., April 26, `865.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division from the 27th of March, when I left my position at Deep Bottom on James River, to the 25th of April on my arrival in the city of Richmond:

In obedience to the orders of the major-general commanding, the division crossed James River at Deep Bottom at dark on the evening of the 27th, and went into camp as a reserve to the First Division on the left of our line of entrenchments at Hatcher's Run about noon on the 29th. The next morning at 5 o'clock the division crossed Hatcher's Run and went into position in lien of battle, its left connecting with the right of the Second Corps at Dabney's Mill, its right resting near Hatcher's Run. It moved forward during the day in conjunction with the Second Corps, crossing Hatcher's Run, Colonel Potter's brigade on the right of my line connecting with General Foster's division, Colonel Curtis with his brigade being in reserve. During the day Lieutenant F. a. C. Judd, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, my aide-de-camp, was severely wounded while with me reconnoitering the enemy's position.

The next morning (the 30th) General Harris and Lieutenant-Colonel Potter were ordered to drive in the enemy's picket-line in front of their respective positions, in order to develop his position. This was very gallantly done; the enemy's entire picket-line was either captured or driven within his works, and our own was established within 400 yards of the enemy's works, enabling us to completely silence his artillery on this part of his line and giving us a very important advantage. Much credit is due to Captain Gandy, Fifteenth West Virginia Volunteers, who had charge of General Harris' skirmish line, and Lieutenant-Colonel Kellogg, One hundred and twenty-third Ohio Volunteers, who had charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Potter's line during the attack. General Foster took up the attack and established his line in a corresponding position to that of the Second Division.

The 31st of March and 1st of April was employed in strengthening my position and establishing a battery on my right, which opened early in the morning of the 2nd. During the night of the 1st and morning of the 2nd, in obedience to orders received direct from Major-General Ord, I massed Colonel Curtis' and Colonel Potter's brigades on the right of Colonel Dandy's brigade, of the First Division,in preparation for an assault which, however, was countermanded before morning by Major-General Gibbon. Shortly after daybreak I directed General Harris to advance a strong skirmish line up to the enemy's works to ascertain if he was not leaving, of which I had strong suspicions, which was accordingly done. Lieutenant-Colonel Kellogg, of the one hundred and twenty-third Ohio Volunteers, of the First Brigade, [who] had been left on the skirmish line with his regiment, under General Harris' orders, when Lieutenant-Colonel Potter's brigade was moved off during the night, advanced with his regiment with General Harris' line. This line, after some slight resistance, carried the enemy's works, capturing 2 guns, 3 battle-flags, and some prisoners. Before General Harris had