yards across a small run to a ridge, from which they could command the Mechanicsville road at and to the east of Bethesda Church. All these batteries were engaged during the p. m. in a sharp contest with the enemy's guns posted near the church and the Tinsley house.

May 31.-Not engaged. Captain Cooper started for Harrisburg with 44 of his men whose term of service had expired. There were enough men left to render the battery effective; Lieutenant Miller remained in command.

June 1.-By orders from corps headquarters, Phillips, Stewart, and Richardson were assigned to the First Division. The left of the corps was swinging around across the Mechanicsville pike, and during the day pushed through the woods to within sight of the enemy's works, at short musket range. While this was being done I endeavored, in accordance with orders, to establish a section of Rittenhouse's battery on the wood road to the left of the pike, and one of Sheldon's on the pike itself; the first was able to hold its position for half an hour, the latter only a few minutes, before they were overwhelmed by the enemy's fire and obliged to withdraw. Both sections suffered severely; Captain Sheldon received a very ugly wound in the face. An hour before dark received orders to establish two batteries on the skirmish line in front of Bartlett's brigade. On reaching the line of battle Major Fitzhugh found that our skirmishers had fallen back from the position he was to occupy, and that Bartlett's brigade was hotly engaged. The batteries were consequently withdrawn. During the night, our line having been advanced up the wood road spoken of to outer edge of the woods, Rittenhouse's and Barnes' batteries were placed in position there on the left of the wood road; Walcott's and Hart's on the right.

June 2.-The position held by the four batteries last mentioned was exposed to the fire of a large portion of the enemy's lines, at ranges of from 800 to 1,500 yards. They also obtained an ugly cross-fire on them from a detached work opposite the extreme left of the corps, and the rebel sharpshooters were within 200 yards. About 10 a. m. Crawford's division was extended to the left. Miller's, Rogers', Breck's, and Bigelow's batteries with it and posted, the first two to the front and left of the Jenkins house, Breck's half a mile to our left, filling the gap of 500 yards between our left and Birney's division, of Second Corps. Bigelow's battery was got into an excellent position, after considerable labor, about half way between Barnes and Miller, where they obtained excellent fire on the enemy's detached work, forcing them to withdraw the guns; also an enfilading fire upon their skirmish line in the woods in front of Third Division. All the above-named batteries were hotly engaged throughout the day. About 5 p. m., the corps being under orders to move to the left and connect with the Eighteenth Corps, Barnes' and Walcott's batteries were withdrawn and together with Mink's marched to near the position held by Breck, where they camped for the night. The Ninth Corps being attacked soon after, while falling back to occupy the position we were to leave, this move was stopped. The enemy pushed up the Mechanicsville road and around by Shady Grove (our right), occupying the ground held by us on the 30th. Stewart's battery went into position across the Mechanicsville road half a mile west of the church, under a fire of canister, and succeeded in driving off the enemy's battery.

June 3.-All the batteries were in position to-day, and more or less engaged. Phillips', Richardson's, Stewart's, and Mink's, parallel