Battalion marched with its train to Zion Church, on the plank road. May 14, the Reserve Battalion moved with its train to Salem Church. I directed the commanding officers of the First, Second, and Third Battalions to reduce their pontoon trains to eight boats each and the requisite material, and sent the surplus material to Belle Plain. May 15, the Second, Third, and Reserve Battalions, with their trains, marched to Fredericksburg. May 16, Major Ford, having joined the day previous, took command of the Third Battalion. Nearly the whole of our force them at Fredericksburg was occupied in repairing and refitting the bridge trains, and at work on the roads in that vicinity. During the whole time that the bridge was maintained at Fredericksburg, the detachment of the First Battalion in charge of it were occupied incessantly in keeping the bridge in order. The cheeses were completely cut through and worn out by the constant passage of wagon trains acting upon the gravel scattered on the bridge from the wagon wheels. Old buildings on the outskirts of the town were dismantled to obtain materials for an additional flooring to the bridge. May 17, I marched with the Reserve Battalion and its trains to headquarters o the army near the Anderson house. May 18, the surplus bridge material of the First, Second, and Third Battalions were consolidated, and a second bridge built opposite the Lacy house at Fredericksburg, by details from the Second and Third Battalions; length of this bridge, 440 feet. May 19, part of the Second Battalion was engaged upon the roads in the vicinity of the upper bridge. In the afternoon Major Ford marched with two companies of his battalion to the Anderson house, having in charge 100 prisoners and stragglers, and leaving Captain McDonald, with one company, in charge of the upper bridge at Fredericksburg. May 20, I sent directions to Major Brainerd to take up the upper bridge at Fredericksburg, make up three trains of eight boats each, and have these trains and troops rejoin their respective corps as soon as possible. This bridge was dismantled and loaded during the afternoon. I also sent Captain Folwell, with his company and train, to report to Major-General Hancock, and he marched the same night to Massaponax Church. Major Beers moved to Sixth Corps headquarters, where two of his companies then were, under command of Captain Hine. These two companies had been very busy building roads and bridges, slashing timber, &c. During the night Major Beers, with his detachment, built a battery for nine guns in front of the Sixth Corps. Major Ford with two companies of his battalion moved to the Fifth Corps headquarters and built a log bridge over the Ny River. Captain Van Brocklin, of the Reserve Battalion, with his company and pontoon train Numbers 5, was sent to report to Major-General Warren, and remained on duty with the Fifth Corps, under command of Major Ford, until the corps had crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge.

THIRD EPOCH.

The march to the North Anna and the operations on that river.

May 21, Major Brainerd moved with one company and his pontoon train from Fredericksburg to Thornton's place, near Guiney's Station; the other two companies of his battalion, under command of Captain McGrath, moving with the Second Corps to Milford Station. Major Beers, with two companies of the Second Battalion, moved