guarding the approach by the road on which my left is represented as resting, and relieving a portion of the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery. This disposition remained unchanged throughout the day, the Fourteenth Connecticut, Fourth Ohio Battalion, and Tenth New York Battalion being engaged in completing the destruction of the railroad in rear of their position and to the right as far as the First Brigade. About 8 o'clock in the evening I moved do the right of the railroad, occupying the breast-works in two lines on the left of the First Brigade, and bivouacked for the night under orders to be in readiness to move at 5.30 o'clock on the following morning.

At 5 o'clock on the morning of the 25th instant the order directing me to be ready to move at 5.30 o'clock was countermanded, and I was directed to hold my command in readiness to move at short notice. During the night the First Delaware Veteran Volunteers, with the Second Delawere Volunteers, with the Second Delawere Battalion, had been relieved from picket and rejoined the brigade. The Sixty-ninth and One hundred and sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, however, had not, and by direction of the major-general commanding First Division, who immediately sent a detail to relieve these regiments. At 6 a.m. I received orders from the major-general commanding, through Captain Potter, to mass my command in an open space in the corn-field in the rear of the railroad, facing in a westerly direction. This was accomplished, at which the Sixty-ninth and One hundred and sixth rejoined the command. About 9 a.m. I received orders from the major-general commanding, through yourself, to move my command out on the road running parallel with the railroad. After proceeding about three-quarters of a mile I received orders to halt the column and report to the major-general commanding, who directed me to deploy as skirmishes on the right of the railroad one of my best regiments, supported by another, and to advance them so as to enable me to procure, if possible, the entrenching tools left by the First Division on the previous day, and also to endeavor to capture the enemy occupying that ground.

In compliance thereof I deployed the First Delaware Veteran Volunteers, using as a support the Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers, commanded respectively, by Lieutenant Colonel D. Woodall and Lieutenant Colonel R. S. Thompson, and immediately advanced the line, making a left hall-wheel as I approached, and engaged the enemy. Finding both flanks exposed, I deployed, in protection of the left two companies of the Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers, and of the right running nearly perpendicularly to the skirmish line, the One hundred and eighth New York Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel F. E. Pierce commanding. These dispositions being made, I advanced quite half a mile, and meeting with considerable resistance, I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson to deploy the right wing of his regiment in single rank in rear of the First Delawere Volunteers, and to charge the enemy's skirmishers. At this time, having received instructions to that effect, I directed a staff officers to bring the remainder of the brigade to a position a short distance in rear of the skirmish line. My skirmish line immediately advanced and drove the enemy through a corn-field, also an open field, and into the woods in our front, when he advanced a line of battle, forcing back my skirmish line to the position occupied prior to the charge, when he in turn fell back to his position in the woods. I reported this fact to the major-general commanding division, from whom I received an order to again press the enemy, and ascertain, if possible, his force and position. In order to accomplish this the following dispositions were made: I deployed in