Gibbon's division, had been engaged in an attack on the enemy's position, under the command of General Warren, in which they had suffered severely. At 5.30 p. m., when I returned to General Warren's front, I found the Fifth Corps and Gibbon's division, of the Second Corps, engaged in an assault on the enemy's line in front of Alsop's house. The enemy held the crest of a densely wooded hill, crowned by earth-works, his artillery and musketry sweeping his front. The approach to this position was rended more difficult and hazardous by a heavy growth of low cedar trees, most of them dead, whose long, bayonet-like branches interlaced and pointing in all directions presented an almost impassable barrier to the advance of our lines. Here, as in the Wilderness, the woods prevented me from observing the conduct of the troops, although close to the point of attack; but it was soon evident that we had failed. The men struggled on bravely for a time and even entered the enemy's breast-works at one or two points, but soon wavered and fell back in some corps, as I have not had a report of the operations of his troops from General Warren. Gibbon's division reformed on the ground from which it had advanced to the attack. It lost heavily on this occasion.

I was directed by the major-general commanding to assault the enemy again at the same point at 6.30 p. m. My preparations for this attack had just been completed when I received an order from General Meade, by an officer of his staff, to defer my advance if the troops were not already in motion, and to move a strong force to the right of Barlow's position to oppose a heavy column of the enemy, which was reported to have crossed the Po, and to be advancing on our right flank. I had scarcely given instructions for the execution of this order when it was countermanded, and I was directed to proceed with the attack on the enemy's line in my front. The assault as formerly directed was then made by the Fifth Corps and portions of Gibbon's and Birney's divisions of the Second Corps. The troops encountered the same obstacle which had forced them to retire when they had assaulted this point at 5 p. m. They were again repulsed with considerable loss. Ward's brigade retired in disorder until rallied by my own staff and that of General Birney. The heavy firing did not cease until 7.30 p. m. The 11th of May passed without serious fighting for my command. Miles' brigade, of Barlow's division, made a reconnaissance on the Spotsylvania road as far as Todd's Tavern, but did not encounter the enemy. Two regiments were also thrown across the Po, to feel for the enemy in that direction. At 4 p. m. I receive near Mott's division, which was on the left of the Sixth Corps. I was further directed to form my troops for an assault on the enemy's line at 4 a. m., on the 12th. Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan and Major Mitchell, of my staff, accompanied Lieutenant-Colonel Comstock, of General Grant's staff, to reconnoiter the position, which I was instructed to storm, but owing to the uncertainty as to the exact point to be attacked, no very definite information was obtained.

Birney's and Barlow's deviousness moved out after dark, under the guidance of Major Mendell, of the Engineers, over a narrow and difficult road during a heavy rain, which rendered the marching extremely fatiguing for the men. the head of the column arrived at the Brown house, near which it was proposed to form the troops for the attack about midnight, going into position as soon as they came