officers that it was crippled to render other batteries that could be of more service able to return at once into action if called upon.

I append statement of losses in men* and material.

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

GEO. E. RANDOLPH,

Captain First Rhode Island Art., Chief of Art., Third Army Corps.

Lieutenant-Colonel HART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 112. Report of Brigadier General David B. Birney, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, with congratulatory orders.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Camp, May 9, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report, for the information of the major-general commanding the corps, the part performed by this division in the recent operations against the enemy:

The division moved from its camp on April 29, at 4 p.m., and, by a route through the ravines, reached the position assigned to it, some 4 miles below Fredericksburg, near the river, and bivouacked.

On April 30, my command advanced to a position immediately in rear of the Sixth Corps, and near the bridges used by it.

At 2 p.m. I received orders from the major-general commanding the corps to march my division to the United States Ford, and cross it by 7.30 a.m. next day, taking care to move through the ravines, concealing my troops from the enemy. I reached Hamet's, on the Warrenton turnpike, at about 11.30 p.m., and bivouacked.

The march was resumed on May 1, at 5.30 a.m., crossing the bridges at the United States Ford at 7.30 a.m., and reaching a point near Chancellorsville at about 11 a.m.

At 1 p.m., under orders from Major-General Sickles, I sent Graham's brigade and Turnbull's battery to Dowdall's Tavern to take position, sending with them Lieutenant Briscoe, of my staff. Upon reaching the tavern indicated, General Graham was told by Major-General Howard that there was some mistake in the brigade and battery being sent there, as he was sufficiently strong, and it would interfere with the disposition of his own forces, which were ample. Brigadier-General Graham reported third to me, and I immediately sent the information to Major-General Sickles, and was ordered to permit the troops to remain there for the present.

At 5 p.m., the enemy attacking General Slocum's front, I took position in rear of the Chancellor house, with Ward's and Hayman's brigades, and sent to the tavern for Graham's to return. When Graham's brigade reported, a position was assigned to it in support of one of General Slocum's batteries, and it was subjected to a heavy and well-directed artillery fire without the power to return it. With Ward's and Hayman's brigades I marched up the Plank road toward Dowdall's Tavern, and, meeting Generals Williams and Knipe, of Slocum's command, and finding the right of their line weak, bivouacked my two brigades

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* Embodied in revised statement, pp.178-180.

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