halted and firing at an enemy in front. I rapidly returned to my brigade to move it forward, when I met Captain Taylor with orders from General Hill to advance. Immediately after, n reaching the edge of the wood, we encountered the long-range fire of the enemy posted in the margin of another wood beyond a wheat field. My brigade halted here and commenced a rapid fire, which it was several minutes before I could arrest and move the brigade forward a cross the open field. In crossing this field I was exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy, who, from their position in the woods, were comparatively safe. My loss here was 19 killed and 116 wounded. After entering the wood and in passing through it, my tow left regiments met and became to some extent mixed with the right of General Pender's brigade, which was sweeping through from the left oblique across my course. From this point, by agreement between us, General Pender and I commanded the two brigades together without regard to the proper brigades to which the regiments belonged, he taking the right and I the left. I did not again meet with any opposition, but took a number of prisoners and continued the pursuit until night.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. J. ARCHER,

Brigadier-General.

Major R. C. MORGAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General, A. P. Hill's Division.

P. S.-I beg to refer to the list of killed and wounded sent in yesterday.

Numbers 53. Report of Brigadier General Edward L. Thomas, C. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, LIGHT DIVISION,
October 25, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that this brigade on August 9 was, by order of General Hill, turned from the line of march to the right of the road and ordered to report to General Jackson. By the latter, was placed in line at rest in the border of a wood; occupied this position a short time, then, by order of General Jackson, reported to General Hill. by him the brigade was placed in a wood with orders to support General Early, who occupied at that time the right of our line. After a short time, by order of General jackson, it was directed to take position to the front and right. While this order was being executed a brigade in front of the Third was being forced back. One regiment (the Fourteenth Georgia) was ordered to support it, the Thirty-fifth, Forty-fifth, and Forty-ninth Georgia Regiments occupying the extreme right of our line, with orders to hold that position. The advance of the enemy was checked and this position was held until nearly dark, when an advance was ordered. We marched some distance.

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*Embodied in Numbers 27.

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