Twentieth Indiana and One hundred and twenty-fourth New York volunteers (skirmishers). In the mean time the brigade was massed under cover of the hill, preparatory to crossing the river. Our skirmishers met little opposition at the ford, and crossed at once, capturing a few prisoners of the rear guard of the enemy. The brigade crossed the Po River about dark, and marched till about 8 p. m., when it encamped for the night.

May 10, at about 10 a. m., the Twentieth Indiana and Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under direction of Major-General Birney, were dispatched to cover the retreat of a body of skirmishers of the division, who had crossed the Ny River and advanced about 2 miles. In the mean time the remainder of the brigade recrossed the Po River, moved to the left, and relieved a portion of the Fifth Corps in the front line. At 12 m. the brigade was double-guicked back to the Po River to cover the crossing of the First Division, they being heavily pressed by the enemy. As soon as the crossing was effected, it returned to its former position in the works. Soon after the Twentieth Indiana Volunteers and Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers had taken position, the enemy advanced in heavy force upon them, and subjected them to a heavy artillery fire, with some musketry, and they were soon withdrawn to the rear of General Barlow's (First) division, and both regiments were assigned to a place in his line of battle, which they held until an order from General Birney, commanding division, brought them back tot he brigade. The brigade was then massed in columns of regiments in the following order, preparatory to an assault on the enemy's works, viz, Eighty-sixth New York, Third Maine, One hundred and twenty-fourth New York, Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania, One hundred and forty-first Pennsylvania, Twentieth Indiana, One hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania, and Fortieth New York Volunteers. The order for the charge was promptly obeyed, and the Eighty-sixth New York and Third Maine Volunteers planted their colors on the enemy's breast-works, but owing to the superior position of the enemy to our own and the rough ground over which the brigade had to charge, support could not advance in time to hold the position, and the charge was unsuccessful. The Eighty-sixth New York and Third Maine Volunteers lost quite heavily in this assault, but fell back to our works in good order, bringing their colors with them. In this charge Brigadier-General Ward, commanding brigade, was struck on the side of the head by a piece of shell, but did not leave the field.

The brigade remained in this position only picket-firing until the night of the 11th, when, with the balance of the corps, at about 9 p. m., under the darkness of the night, marched to the left and formed for another charge on the extreme left of the Sixth Corps. The brigade was formed in two lines, and at daybreak advanced at quick time. The order was given by Brigadier-General Ward, commanding brigade, to make no noise until near the enemy's works, and then to double-quick with a yell, but when the brigade had advanced a short distance some thoughtless person raised a shout, and the whole line immediately took it up, and thus gave the enemy warning of what was coming. Nevertheless the charge was successful, and the first line was take with a large number of prisoners, and the troops, inspirited with success, rushed forward to the second line of the enemy's works, but our line had become so weakened that it was unable to hold this line any length of time, although