united with main picket reserve, under Captains Hyland and Boughton and Major Schoeffel, about twenty rods from the ravine. In front of the picket-line was an open field, extending to the enemy's line of earthworks and averaging three-quarters of a mile in breadth. At 3 p. m. the enemy appeared in force to our right and nearly in front of the line of General Butterfield's pickets, being about five battalions. They soon deployed their lines and made a general attack upon the picket-line of the division. Our reserves were moved up close to the line of pickets and held in readiness. The attack was kept up in a skirmishing manner for about two and a half or three hours and combined with heavy cannonading from a battery of the enemy. During the skirmish about 150 of the enemy approached our line, forcing two of our posts. These united, making eight men, and receiving the enemy's volley returned several volleys, when the enemy retired to the left, where the engagement became very sharp with the pickets of General Hamilton's division in the peach orchard referred to as occupied by our pickets on the 7th instant. The enemy were finally repulsed at all points, and returned to their works just at dark. During the night everything was quiet on our lines, also the next morning, with the exception of an occasional shot up to the time we were relieved, about 8 o'clock. Some of the men on post report hearing during the night the sound of wheels and other noise, as if something was being loaded or unloaded from wagons, also the noise of axes chopping. Saturday, 12th, the picket under Major Schoeffel returned about 10 a. m. The day passed off quietly.

CARL STEPHAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Captain CHARLES J. POWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[11.]

Report of Captain Edward H. Flood, Battery D, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, of operations April 28.

HDQRS. BATTERY D, FIRST PENNSYLVANIA VOL. ARTY.,
Fort Ennis, April 28, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report:

This morning at about 6.30 two of the enemy's gun-boats appeared off the position now occupied by my battery. One of them mounted two guns - one at the bow, the other at the stern; the other mounted one gun at the stern. They laid there apparently at anchor until 9.25 o'clock, when they opened fire upon us, aiming at the works, also at the log-house and the woods behind them. After firing ten shells (64-pounder capped shell) at us they changed their direction to the woods on our left, which is divided from us by a creek, and fired eight shells into then. Fortunately there was, as far as my knowledge extends, no one hurt, although their shells burst in the middle of our camp, one of them tearing the roof off one of the log-houses, and another ricocheted up the street, dividing the log-houses, but fortunately did not burst. Had it done so loss of life must have ensued. After firing the eighteen rounds one of the boats retired to the opposite shore, where she lay until 3 o'clock, when she departed. The other came to anchor, where she remained until 6 o'clock, when she also retired. During the day (about noon) a large side-wheel steamer, accompanied by a small tug-boat, appeared opposite us and held communication with the gun-boat that was lying near the shore. They