Numbers 83. Report of Colonel John C. Tidball, Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, commanding Artillery Brigade.

IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG, VA.,

July 1, 1864.

May 3.-Left camp near Stevensburg, Va., at 8.30 p.m., moving the Artillery Brigade to Madden's house, where it halted; as the divisions passed the batteries assigned to them reported and fell into the column. The reserve battery and foot artillery marched in rear of the Third Division.

May 4.-Crossed the Rapidan at 9 a.m. and moved out on the Chancellorsville road, arriving at Chancellorsville at 2 p.m. Brown's and Arnold's batteries being found in a bad position, were changed. The reserve battery and foot artillery camped at Fair View, one-half mile off.

May 5.-Moved at daylight on the road leading to the Furnace, passed it, and arrived at Todd's Tavern at 12 m., waited orders for one hour, and then moved by the Brock road in the direction of Wilderness Tavern. At 2 p.m. the enemy were met near the plank road crossing. Captains Dow's and Edgell's batteries were immediately placed in position in the woods, 75 yards in rear of the line of battle of Mott's division, which extend along the south side of the Brock road. An opening was cut in front of them and a road in rear joining the plank road. General Getty being hard pressed and his artillery not being at hand, Captain Ricketts was directed to report to him with his battery. At this time General Hancock met Colonel Tidball and told him that certain high ground, open, about a mile back, must be occupied. All the remaining batteries, six, of the corps were here halted and put in position, Captain Ames' battery, supported by the heavy artillery, forming the extreme left of the line. A short time after the line was extended still farther to the left, and Captain Sleeper's battery placed in position, supported by Colonel Miles' brigade, of Barlow's division. The position was then as follows, commencing on the left: Sleeper, Ames, who was at this time retired to a crest forming the second line; Arnold, Brown, Roder, and Gilliss. In reserve Gibbon's division. This line of artillery was supported by Barlow's division. In about an hour one brigade of Barlow's division was sent into action, rendering it necessary to shorten the line. All of Sleeper's battery was withdrawn, except a section from the extreme left, and the four guns placed in reserve in rear of Arnold's battery, and the heavy artillery in position to support Ames. At dark, orders came to withdraw all the artillery, except Roder's battery, which was on Gibbon's left; all the other batteries were taken back into an open field in rear of Gibbon's right and parked for the night. The foot artillery were left as a support to Roder's battery, and a regiment of Barlow's also. There was no artillery firing this day, except some solid shot by Dow.

May 6.-The batteries moved out at 4 o'clock and took their positions of the day before, Gilliss remaining in the field where the artillery had been parked. The position for the artillery had been fortified the day before, and this work was now strengthened. At 9 o'clock the Third and Fourth Divisions made an attack, Dow's battery throwing solid shot over their heads as they advanced. They