About 7 o'clock Sunday morning, the 10th, orders were sent me by General McDowell to move with the brigade to the Madison road to meet the reported advance of the enemy. This order was promptly obeyed. Colonel Christian's regiment led, followed by Colonel Lyle, Colonel Root, and Colonel McLean, and two pieces of artillery, a portion of General Bayard's cavalry in advance. From the reports forwarded by the cavalry I expected to find the enemy near at hand, but it soon became apparent that the enemy's numbers had been magnified. Colonel Christian's regiment was therefore pushed forward, and two companies of skirmishers thrown out to the right and left, Colonel Lyle supporting at the cross-roads and the other regiments near at hand. I went forward to the second cross-roads, where was a detachment of cavalry. No enemy in sight. General Bayard was requested by me to send forward his cavalry and scout the country on both roads for the distance of 1 mile. Having thus advanced nearly 3 miles on the Madison road and found no forces of the enemy, by orders from General McDowell my brigade was withdrawn and resumed its position of the morning.

It gives me pleasure to state that my men marched rapidly forward when ordered without straggling, and that both officers and men were eager for the fight, cool, and determined.

My adjutant-general, Captain Arrowsmith, and my aide, Lieutenant Fessenden, were intelligently active, and gave me great assistance in the movements of the regiments.

Dr. Cox, my brigade surgeon, was detained in Culpeper to take charge of hospitals, for which he was eminently suited by his experience and skill as a surgeon. The brigade quartermaster, Lieutenant Gerker, and the brigade commissary, Captain Jones, have been very active and attentive to their respective duties both while the troops were in camp and during marches, and the surgeons have given great assistance to the wounded of General Banks' corps.

Dr. Smith, of the Ninety-fourth, and Dr. Steele, of the Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers, were occupied part of the first night in the care of the wounded of General Gordon's brigade.

Z. B. TOWER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Second Brigade.

No. 24. Report of Brigadier General George L. Hartsuff, U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. 3rd Brigadier, 2nd DIV., 3rd ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF VA., August 13, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to state that on the afternoon of the 9th instant I was ordered from the position I had occupied since early morning on the Madison road to move to the front with my brigade, following General Tower's. After marching about 2 miles I ordered knapsacks to be unsung and left under a guard from each regiment in a field near the road. Near the battle-field I could move only very slowly, the road being much obstructed by troops and wagons. I halted my command about half a mile in rear of the position I occupied during the night, the road being blocked beyond.

Receiving instructions from Captain Williams, division assistant