the place occupied by General Howard as him headquarters. He informed me that his command picketed the right and rear, and that, as he had no orders to move and needed no assistance, he thought there must be some mistake in my orders. I at once sent my aide, Lieutenant Bullard, to inform General Birney of this fact, and ask for further instructions. During his absence, Lieutenant Turnbull reported to me with his battery. In accordance with Major-General Howard's orders, I halted my entire command near the tavern to await further orders.

At about 5 p.m. orders came for me to return as rapidly as possible and rejoin the division, near the Chancellor house. My column was at once put in motion, preceded by Turnbull's battery, which I ordered to report to General Birney at once. After reaching the division, and receiving several orders and counter orders, I finally formed my command in close column of regiments in rear of our batteries, ready to support them to advance to the aid of General Williams' division, then engaged with the enemy to my front and right. Immediately on formation, the brigade was ordered to lie down, to escape the heavy fire of artillery to which we were then subjected. Our loss was 1 man killed and 5 wounded.

In this position we remained until daylight of May 2, when marched toward Dowdall's Tavern, on the Plank road, filling off to the left through the woods until our advance reached General Birney's headquarters. Here I halted, according to orders, forming four of my regiments in two lines on each side of the road, and sending the Sixty-third and One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers to the front as support to the skirmishers, and connecting the One hundred and fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers with the left of Colonel Hayman's brigade, on our right.

In this position we lay until about 1 p.m., when we advanced, as support to Colonel Hayman's brigade, across the open fields and through the dense woods in front. When we had nearly reached the iron-works, we formed a double line of battle along the road and on the right of Hayman. Soon after this, the order came for another advance. The Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers was ordered to remain on the crest of the hill as support to Berdan's Sharpshooters, and the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers was taken from me by Captain Walker, of General Birney's staff. With my remaining regiments (the One hundred and fourteenth, One hundred and forty-first, Sixty-eighth, and One hundred and fifth), I advanced on the double quick along the road and into the open field beyond the cut for a railroad, near Welford's house. I had scarcely formed my command as a second line to Colonel Hayman when orders came to return at once. This order was complied with, and we followed the Third Brigade. At the iron-works the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers rejoined us. We marched back to the field we had left in the morning, when we formed in rear of the batteries, with orders to act as their support in case of an attack. The One hundred and forty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers was thrown out as pickets to our left and rear, in the edge of the woods skirting the low ground. The One hundred and fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, which had also been ordered on picket, was drawn in and formed part of my main line. About this time the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers reported back to me, and as an order had just been received from General Birney to send a good regiment to report to Brigadier-General Ward, I ordered the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers forward for that duty. This was the only one of my regiments that shared in the night attack of May 2. As it was not under my immediate command, I am not called upon to particularize its action.