ing line received orders to move to the rear. Crossed Bull Run half a mile above stone bridge under the enemy's guns. Shelling was continued until beyond range. The enemy's cavalry made several charges, but were each time successfully repulsed by the skirmishers, emptying many saddles, with but slight loss. Arrived at Centreville at 10 p.m. Bivouacked for the night on the west side of town.

August 31, marched to eastern slope of the hill, near ravine, and bivouacked for the night.

Numbers 66. Reports of Colonel Orlando M. Poe, Second Michigan Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of the battles of Groveton, Bull Run, and Chantilly.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, KEARNY'S DIVISION,
September 1, 1862.

SIR: For the information of the general commanding division I have the honor of reporting the following as the operations of this brigade during the days of the 29th and 30th of August:

We left Centreville at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 29th and moved forward via the Warrenton turnpike until we reached the large house beyond the stone bridge, where we made a slight detour to the right, taking a position indicated by the major-general commanding, forming the brigade in two lines, with skirmishers covering the front. In a short time the order to advance was received and the advance made along the Leesburg road, our left resting upon that road. We found a good deal of difficulty in preserving our organization because of the woods through which we were moving. Our advance was continued until our skirmishers had crossed Bull Run some 400 or 500 yards, and three regiments in support had also crossed. (I should have stated that the Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers was not with us, having been detached for special service the day before and not having yet rejoined us.) I saw the enemy's skirmishers deployed to meet us along the line of the railroad, and could see the glistening of the bayonets of the supports in the corn field beyond. The enemy now opened about six guns upon us, disposed by section in such a way as to make our position a very bad one, and in accordance with orders from the major-general in person the troops were recalled across the creek and took up their position upon the steep bluff bordering the creek. Our disposition at this time was as follows: The Second Michigan Volunteers deployed as skirmishers, their left resting upon the Leesburg road and extending to the right along the bank of Bull Run a distance of about a half mile, the Third Michigan and Fifth Michigan supporting them, and the Thirty-seventh New York facing the Leesburg road and about 70 yards from it.

In the afternoon the major-general commanding division sent for a Michigan regiment to report to Brigadier-General Robinson. The Third Michigan being the only one which I could at that moment call upon, and being one of the best, it was sent. This was the only regiment of the brigade hotly engaged under a musketry fire.

The list of casualties in this regiment-a heavy one-is transmitted.* A full report will, I suppose, be transmitted through General Robin-

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 258.

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