had ceased we set to work strengthening our position, and built works for the left section, which we brought forward at daylight, the 4th. The enemy, seeing us at work, immediately concentrated a sharpshooters' fire upon us, occasionally favoring with a few shots and shells. We replied every few minutes throughout the day. About the same time as on the night previous they opened another tremendous fusilade from artillery and infantry, but without leaving their works. At night we built embrasures and made our position doubly strong. 5th, desultory firing by artillery; sharpshooters very annoying. At 9 p.m. their batteries opened again, but without effect. June 6,7,8,9,10, adn 11, remained in that position, having built bomb-proofs for the men and ammunition and rendered the works almost impregnable. We expended 400 rounds of ammunition, dismounted three of their guns in one fort and silencing it completely. At midnight 11th we withdrew and parked on White House road, near Second Corps headquarters. On the afternoon of the 12th marched to Levy's house, rear of General Birney's line, and parked till 7 p.m., when the corps moved toward the Chickahominy River via Dispatch Station.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWIN B. DOW,

Captain, Commanding.

Lieutenant U. D. EDDY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 85. Report of Captain J. Henry Sleeper, Tenth Massachusetts Battery.

FIRST EPOCH.

The crossing of the Rapidan and the battles of the Wilderness.

Having left camp at Stevensburg, Va., at 7.30 p.m. May 3, 1864, the battery passed the night in a field by the roadside, and at daylight resumed the march, and crossed the Rapidan at Ely's Ford at 11 a.m., parking for the night at Chancellorsville. At 6 a.m. of the 5th continued the march, passing the Furnaces, and arriving at Todd's Tavern about noon; watered and fed the horses, an d at 2 p.m. took the back track for the Wilderness, where we arrived at 4 p.m., and went into position at a place called Hawkins' farm; at night drew out into and parked in a large field. At daylight of the 6th again took our position; then, by order, moved to the extreme left of the line to a place called Poplar Neck. Here a five-gun battery opened fire upon us at 1,000 yards distance, which we soon silenced, and, according to the report of the skirmishers, dismounted one of their pieces, and killed and wounded quite a number of their men. Remained in position during the night. One section remained in position, another took post half a mile to the rear to cover the road to Todd's Tavern, while the third was in line of battle on the Hawkins farm. At night all the pieces withdrew to a field on the right, where we remained parked and ready to move at a moment's notice.

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*For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I.

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