of artillery from the ridge to the left of the pike. Generals Seymour and Jackson led their brigades in advance, but notwithstanding all the steadiness and courage of the men they were compelled, by the fire of the enemy's artillery and infantry on their front and left, to resume their former position.

Immediately on my arrival with King's division I directed to move forward and take place on the left of Reynolds', then still engaged on the left of Sigel's corps, and some of the brigades went forward to do so, when I received your instructions to order the division over to the north of the turnpike to support the line held by Reno, which had been hotly engaged all day, and the division was recalled and brought back to the Sudley Springs road for this purpose.

One of the brigades - Patrick's - having received an order, as he informed me, direct from your headquarters, to move across the field, became separated from the division, and though he moved at the quickest pace, was not able to rejoin until late that evening.

About the time the division arrived at the crossing of the Sudley Springs and Warrenton turnpike I received word from you that the enemy were falling back, and to send the division right up the turnpike after them. It was now near dusk, and though the men had been on foot since 1 o'clock in the morning they moved forward with the greatest enthusiasm. They were led gallantly up the road by Brigadier-General Hatch, who, trusting to find the enemy in retreat, as he was told, and hoping to turn their retreat into a flight, took the men forward, his own and Doubleday's brigades and Gerrish's battery of howitzers, with Patrick's brigade in reserve, with an impetuosity akin to rashness. The attack was severe, both on the enemy and our men.

About the same time an attack was made by Bayard's cavalry, on the left of Hatch, on the enemy south of the road, in which Seymour's squadron suffered severely. These were the finishing strokes of the day, which we could now safely claim as ours.

The batteries of King's division, except Gerrish's, supported by Gibbon's brigade, had been sent to re-enforce and relieve those on the ridge near Groveton. Ricketts' division, coming on in the rear of King's, was taken up the Sudley Springs, road north of the Warrenton pike, and held as a reserve for the line in front.

On the morning of Saturday, the 30th, Major General Fitz John Porter's corps came on the ground by the same road that had been taken by the divisions of King and Ricketts - the Sudley Springs road - and turned up the Warrenton turnpike, following the course of King's division. The order you first gave was that we should hold the center and left and mass our troops on the right, to attack the enemy's left; and as your ordered me to make this attack with the Third Corps; added to the corps of Porter and Heintzelman, I asked to make a reconnaissance in person before sending the troops in, and requested General Heintzelman to accompany me.

The Sudley Springs road is nearly north and south, and the Warrenton turnpike is nearly east and west, crossing each other near where your established your headquarters. I found the enemy had the day before occupied nearly the half of a circle, commencing at a point beyond Bull Run, on the northeast angle made by those roads and sweeping around irregularly through Sudley Springs to the west, and then south to a point in the southwest angle. Our line opposing them had on the right Heintzelman's corps; in the center, first Reno's and then Sigel's corps, and on the left King's division and Bayard's cavalry; Ricketts, in an interior position, in reserve. Porter's corps, which