CAMP NEAR AQUIA CREEK, VA.,

May 9, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor of making a supplementary report to you, more fully describing the movements of the left of the brigade at the time of receiving the order to fall back from the trenches on the morning of May 3.

A short time before we received the order to fall back, say about five minutes, the lower end of the line in the rifle-pits nearest the enemy broke badly, leaving the trenches. Here, I believe, were the Seventy-eight New York Volunteers and about three companies of the One hundred and forty-ninth New York Volunteers. As they neared the right of the One hundred and second, Captain Mead, of Company K, One hundred and Second New York Volunteers, left the trench, and, running toward them, struck with the flat of his sword the nearest man, and endeavored to stop the movement. He was followed by the color-bearer, and the colors were placed about 20 yards from the trenches and to the rear of them, and the order given, ''Two the colors!'' when Company K, on the left, and Company H, on the right, formed immediately, and the rest of the regiment extended the line left and right at right angels to the trenches, after which the officers rallied the retreating men of the lower regiment behind us. One lieutenant of the One hundred and forty-ninth, with his men, came and formed with us, asking for a place. I do not know his name. The regiment thus formed immediately opened fire on the rebels advancing on the trenches, and stopped and finally broke them.

It was just after we had formed across the line that I received the order to fall back in good order. This was impossible to do at the time, from the proximity of the rebels. As soon as the enemy fell back slightly, our men cheered. We then fell back about 100 feet to the brush and abatis made by the Sixtieth. Captain Mead asked Colonel Redington if he would remain and support us if we went again in front of the screen, as the rebels were again advancing. He said he would, when we immediately formed again directly in front of the cross abatis of the Sixtieth, and again opened fire, part of the Sixtieth forming with us, stopping the advance of the rebels. All the men below us in the trenches having passed, I gave the order to fall back in good order, at which time the captain, lieutenant, and men of the Twelfth Georgia Volunteers came in from both sides, and we took them prisoners (as per first report).

Captain Mead, of Company K, One hundred and second New York Volunteers, then personally told Colonel Redington that the orders were to fall back, and the One hundred and second retired through the trenches toward the Plank road.

Arriving there, we formed in front of the battery at the brick house and on its left flank, thus:*

Immediately after, the Sixtieth and some part of the One hundred and forty ninth New York Volunteers and other formed on our right, skirting the woods, to enfilade there rebels should they try to take the battery. While here, we were fired into with grape from a concealed battery of ours in the woods opposite our right flank, killing 1 man of the Sixtieth and threatening the whole. I immediately gave the command to fall back, and at the instance of Lieutenant-Colonel Dickinson, of General Hooker's staff, we took up position Numbers 2, where we staid, supporting that battery, and remained until it left and was replaced

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* See diagram on opposite page.

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