works hastily occupied by the First Division. No other troops of mine but the Twentieth Michigan were engaged in the affair:

June 3, I was ordered to attack the enemy in line of works lost by a portion of the First Division the night before. Moved out at 6 in the morning, Hartranft forming his brigade in two lines, and taking the advance, supported by Christ's (Second) brigade. Hartranft dashed forward handsomely, carried this line of works, pushed ahead, and drove the enemy to a second line of entrenchment, advanced to within 200 yards of this line, and found it flanked by an enfilading fire of the artillery which had played upon us as we advanced. Here we halted, and I ordered up two pieces each of Roemer's and Twitchell's batteries, one being 3-inch rifled, the other light 12s. After this successful advance, General Potter, Second Division, Ninth Corps, moved forward in gallant style on my right, and General Griffin, of the Fifth Corps, in like handsome manner, on my left. The enemy's musketry fire was so close and sharp that it became necessary to throw up cover for my guns before they could be put in position to silence the enemy's artillery. Being now called upon by General Burnside as to the practicability of carrying the works before me, I consulted with Major J. St. Clair Morton, chief engineer of the corps, and my two brigade commanders, Hartranft and Christ, and decided I could succeed, provided my artillery could be first got into position. This Roemer reported would be done by 1 o'clock. I reported accordingly, and General Burnside ordered the attack.

Every effort was now made, details of infantry assisted the battery men of both batteries, but the workmen were shot down every moment, and at 2.30 p. m. only two guns were got into position, when General Burnside ordered the attack to be made. It was still necessary to move Hartranft's brigade, under a severe fire, to the right, where the line approached nearest to the enemy, under cover of the woods, and at 3 p. m. the skirmishers, Twenty-seventh Michigan, Colonel Fox, began to advance, when an order was received forbidding the attack, and it was abandoned. At dusk Christ's brigade relieved Hartranft, who had suffered considerably, and who retired to the rear in reserve. An unintermitting fire was kept up on the enemy, and he retired during the night. Next morning when I examined his lines there was every sign of the severe loss we had inflicted upon him-dead battery horses, numerous graves, &c.

Loss at Bethesda Church: Killed and wounded, 262; missing, 1; aggregate, 263.

June 4, p. m. moved to the Woody house, Cold Harbor, and relieved a portion of Birney's troops, Second Corps. Afterward relieved a brigade of Eighteenth Corps, built Redoubt Fletcher, and advanced our lines, by boyaux and parallels, toward the enemy's works until June 12.*

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. B. WILLCOX,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major P. M. LYDIG,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps.

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

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