No. 121. Reports of Colonel Isaac H. Duval, Ninth West Virginia Infantry, commanding Second Division, of operations August 22, 24, and 26, and September 3.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND INFANTRY DIVISION, ARMY OF WEST VIRGINIA,
Summit Point, Va., September 13, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the Second Infantry Division, Army of West Virginia, for the 22nd, 24th, and 26th days of August, 1864:

On the afternoon of the 22nd I received orders from the general commanding to make, with one brigade of my command, a reconnaissance on the right of the enemy's line, then lying in our front. I accordingly moved out three regiments of First Brigade (Fifth Virginia, Twenty-third and Thirty-sixth Ohio), Colonel R. B. Hayes commanding, under cover of a wood on our left, formed line of battle, and advanced rapidly on the enemy's line of pickets, driving them in, capturing some twenty prisoners, and inflicting upon him a loss of about twenty killed and wounded. Our casualties were three slightly wounded. having accomplished all the general commanding desired, I returned to camp.

On the 24th received orders to hold one brigade in readiness to make a reconnaissance on the enemy's line, in connection with Colonel Thoburn, commanding First Infantry Division. At 12 m. I moved out three regiments (ninth and Fourteenth Virginia and Ninety-first Ohio of the Second Brigade, Colonel D. D. Johnson commanding, formed and advanced; meeting the enemy;s skirmishers some 800 yards in front of our lines, engaged them, and after a severe but short fight drove them in, capturing a few prisoners. Owing to our having advanced a considerable distance farther than Colonel Thoburn's line, my right became exposed to and received a severe fire from the enemy in Colonel Thoburn's front. Having driven the enemy from my front, we changed front to the right and drove him from that flank, punishing him severely, and driving him within his main lines, after which we returned in good order and went into camp. We captured a few prisoners. Our casualties amounted to thirty wounded; that of the enemy was much greater.

On the 26th was ordered to ho.d my division in readiness to operate with Colonel Thoburn's (First) division in a reconnaissance on the enemy's line our front. At 4 p. m. I massed six regiments of my command in the wood near our left and in front of the enemy's right, threw forward skirmishers, and advanced rapidly, deploying and extending my command in two lines, as the woods through which I was moving became wider as we advanced. Soon engaged the rebels, who, having suffered severely in the actions of the 22nd and 24th, seemed to have profited by their experience in these engagements and had prepared two lines of defenses, built of fence rails, logs, and earth thrown up, to protect their men. On approaching his first line of defenses found them in strong force fully equal to our own, showing a determination to arrest our farther advance. He also had several pieces of artillery in position, from which a brisk fire was opened on us. Their fire was very severe and destructive, checking our lines for a moment. I was convinced that to fall back from this point would prove very disastrous, and determined to dislodge him if possible. I therefore ordered the lines to charge, which was gallantly executed; carried first