and in support of part of the brigade. The enemy gave way, leaving a line of works, which we took possession of. On the 4th relieved a portion of the Second Corps, which position we occupied until June 12, nothing worthy of note transpiring earth-works. The loss of the regiment in the above operations was 70 in killed and wounded. Left in lines at Cold Harbor June 12.*

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

JOS. K. BOLTON,

Captain, Commanding Regiment.

[Captain CHARLES H. McCREERY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.]

No. 242. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Byrom M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 9TH ARMY CORPS,
Near Poplar Spring Church, Va., October 23, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In accordance with instructions from headquarters First Division, Ninth Army Corps, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken in the several actions of this campaign up to the 30th July, 1864, by the several regiments in this brigade:

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

At the beginning of this campaign this brigade (then the Second Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Army Corps) consisted of the following regiments, viz: Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers, the Fiftieth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, Twentieth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, the First Michigan Sharpshooters, and the Sixtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On the 4th of May the brigade marched from Warrenton Junction, but the Seventy-ninth New York and the Sixtieth Ohio were left as garrison and did not rejoin at noon of May 5, and took post on the right of the army to cover the ford, but did not become engaged on that day.

THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

At 3 o'clock of the morning of 6th May the brigade, Colonel B. C. Christ commanding, was put in motion and marched up the plank road until it arrived at the Wilderness Run. Here the brigade filed off from the main road, keeping to the right of the run, and passing through a piece of dense pine woods emerged upon an open field. Here seven companies of the First Michigan Sharpshooters, which had the advance, were deployed as skirmishers to cover a gap in the lines on the left of the Fifth Corps, and the three remaining companies formed a reserve to this line. This skirmish line was advanced to develop the position of the enemy, supported by the balance

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

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