Michigan Sharpshooters being upon our right and the Fiftieth Pennsylvania upon our left. About the middle of the afternoon we were withdrawn from this position and marched a mile to the left to support the First Brigade. We halted in rear of that brigade and moved by the left flank about 350 yards. This regiment formed the extreme left flank of the division and of the corps. At 5 p.m. we were ordered to advance, which we did as rapidly as the ground and the undergrowth would allow. We found ourselves confronted by the Ninth Alabama, which gave way and fell back over a rise of ground, leaving 20 prisoners in our hands, including their adjutant, who was wounded. Our own loss in this affair was very slight. We now found ourselves in front of a log breast-work, which formed a salient upon our right, and as the right retired we could advance no farther. I pushed forward a strong skirmish line, extending 150 to 200 yards beyond my left flank, which soon came upon a rebel brigade moving by the flank toward our left as if to penetrate the gap in our lines. I ordered the skirmishers to attack vigorously, which they did, and sent word to the colonel commanding brigade asking for a regiment to place upon my left. The Eleventh New Hampshire was sent, which was placed upon the left of the line, with its left retired. The effect of the attack of our skirmishers and the advance of the Eleventh New Hampshire was to cause the rebel brigade before mentioned to fall back, and we held our position for the remainder of the night, throwing out a strong skirmish line.

May 7, at daylight, I pushed out my skirmish line and found that the enemy had retired. We occupied their line with our skirmishers and sent out a scout, who found the enemy's skirmishers half a mile in front. We occupied the morning of rebel wounded. During the day we collected about 300 stand of arms from the field, mostly in good condition, which we carried to the rear. Toward night we moved toward the right brigade --- distance, and occupied the line from which the First Brigade had been moved, and again threw up breast-works. We lay upon our arms that night. See list of casualties in the first epoch in appendix to this report.*

SECOND EPOCH.

May 8, 1864, we withdrew from our works in the Wilderness at about 2 a.m., and having reached the open country, near Wilderness Tavern, waited for daylight. A halt of considerable length became necessary to allow the trains to get upon the road.

We took the road at about 8 a.m., at which time the enemy's skirmishers emerged from the woods. A detachment of cavalry formed the rear guard, supported by the Fiftieth Pennsylvania and Twentieth Michigan, and a section of artillery. The Fiftieth marched right in front, and the Twentieth left in front, the two regiments abreast, ready to file right and left at any moment and form line of battle. Each regiment kept one company out to the rear as skirmishers. The enemy followed in sight to pick up stragglers, but made no attack. We marched in this order until we reached Chancellorsville, when our brigade passed to the front. We bivouacked that night about 3 miles southeast from Chancellorsville, on the plank road.

---------------

*Shows 6 men wounded, 2 men missing; total, 8.

---------------