from being kept continually in harness, and, at the same time, the forage allowance has been but 5 pounds a day.

May 16 and 17.-None of the batteries engaged. By orders of Major-General Meade, the batteries were this day all reduced to four guns, one section being turned in at Belle Plain. The six caissons were, however, kept and the surplus horses, so far as they were serviceable. Major R. H. Fitzhugh, First New York Artillery, reported from the Reserve with four batteries, viz, Sheldon's battery (B), First New York, four 10-pounder Parrotts; Barnes' battery (C), First New York, four 3-inch regulation; Bigelow's battery, Ninth Massachusetts four light 12-pounders; Hart's battery, Fifteenth New York Independent, four light 12-pounders. So the number and caliber of the guns in the brigade remain the same as it was on leaving Culpeper.

May 18.-The Second and Sixth Corps having returned to the right of the general line, and so uncovered the left, Hart's, Bigelow's, and Walcott's batteries of light 12-pounders were posted in the neighborhood of the Anderson house to protect that flank, should the enemy attack there. Before daylight Rittenhouse's battery was pushed forward on the pike to our advanced works, about 1,400 yards from the Court-House, and was joined by Taft's (Fifth New York Independent) battery of six 20-pounder Parrotts, which had temporarily joined the brigade the night before, and Sheldon's battery, making fourteen guns, under command of Major Fitzhugh. At the same time Captain Cooper, with his own, Breck's, and Phillips' batteries, making twelve 3-inch guns, was posted on a sharp knoll to the front, and some 400 yards to the left, of Major Fitzhugh's line, making an angle of about 60 degrees with it. The position of all these batteries was excellent. The first was protected by fair works, and the rapid descent of the knoll from the rear to Cooper's afforded excellent shelter for the limbers. The enemy had twenty pieces behind their lines, in front and to their right of the Court-House. At the time the Second Corps advanced on the right the batteries on both sides opened. The engagement was brisk for near three-quarters of an hour, and the practice on both sides was very accurate. Fire was kept up at intervals during the day without any express object, and with no perceptible result, except the silencing of the enemy's guns. At night, the Sixth Corps having returned to its former position at the Anderson house, the batteries then were withdrawn. Taft's battery also left for Washington.

May 19.-Fitzhugh's and Cooper's batteries remained in the same position. Taft being replaced by Bigelow. They fired but little during the day. The Fifth Corps now being the right of the army, Mink's and Stewart's batteries were posted with the Fourth Division, near the deserted house, on the right of the pike, and commanding the valley of the Ny for a short distance. During the enemy's attack that p. m. on the Fredericksburg pike, the former was slightly engaged and helped to repel a demonstration on the point he occupied. Barnes' battery had been posted in the morning near to where army headquarters had been, and Hart was sent up there as soon as the attack commenced. Major Fitzhugh, who took charge of the two batteries, reported that they contributed materially in aiding the heavy artillery to repulse the attack.

May 20.-During the night all the batteries in position were withdrawn preparatory to moving next morning.