Captain Sleeper first opened on the brick mill at the ford, where the enemy's picket was stationed. He had, however, fired but a few shots at it when he was attacked by a battery of the enemy in an earth-work on the hill, in rear of Kellysville. He replied to the fire, shooting excellency, and taking the rebel battery in front while Lieutenant Bucklyn, with solid shot from his nearer position, struck its flank, and their combined fire compelled the rebel battery to change position twice, and finally to retire.

Lieutenant Bucklyn, having by a well-directed fire prevented the strengthening of the enemy's force at the mail, fired into the town, from the houses of which the enemy kept up a brisk fire. When our skirmishers attempted to cross, he threw a few rounds of canister into the enemy's rifle-pits with such excellent effect that our sharpshooters were enabled to cross with comparatively little resistance, as well as to capture a number of the enemy, who chose to remain rather than retreat across a hill and plain completely commanded and covered by Bucklyn's battery.

After the enemy's battery had retired, Captain Sleeper kept up a brisk fire upon the enemy's line in the edge of the woods that skirt the hill on the south side, checking its advance and co-operating with General Ward, who, having crossed the ford, was advancing and taking position on the heights back of the town. Captain Pratt's battery fired at the enemy's battery, making splendid shots at nearly 2 miles distance, and then at the mill and houses in Kellysville, doing good service by the great accuracy of its shooting.

It will be seen that these three batteries, Sleeper's 3-inch, on the left and near the river; Pratt's 4 1\2-inch, in front and three-quarters of a mile from the ford, and Bucklyn's light 12-pounders, on the right immediately over Kellysville, were so posted as to be able to concentrate over Kellysville, were so posted as to be able to concentrate their fire upon the important positions of the enemy. It was on these three positions that I relied. Winslow was to prevent Sleeper being dislodged, and Robinson and McKnight to protect Bucklyn.

The crossing of Ward's division having been effected, I sent Clark's and McKnight's by the ford to report to General Ward, and the remaining batteries followed the corps on the bridge.

The corps marched at daylight of the 8th toward Brandy Station, halting, to wait for the Second Corps, near the intersection of the Kellysville road and the railroad.

On resuming the march we met the enemy's cavalry and a battery on the hill near the house now occupied by General French, Third Corps headquarters. I placed a section of Edgell's (New Hampshire) battery (3-inch) near the railroad and about 1,800 yards from and commanded by the enemy's position. The fire of this section failed to accomplish the result desired, viz, to develop the enemy's force or to cover the advance of the Third Division, which was to take the hill.

Our infantry having driven the enemy beyond Brandy Station, I put both sections of Edgell's battery in front of the station on right and left of the road and opened fire on the retreating cavalry. They were so distant, however, that the fire was not very effective. The batteries camped at Brandy Station on night of 8th, and, with unimportant changes of camp, remain there still.

Captains Sleeper and Pratt and Lieutenant Bucklyn deserve praise for the skillful and effective manner in which they performed the duty allotted to them.