having further instructions, I halted the battery until I was assigned a position on an open piece of ground between two patches of wood. Shortly afterward was ordered to another position by Major Tillson (chief of artillery), and when moving in the direction indicated I was fired upon by the enemy with canister, when I immediately came into action to the right and fired shell, as I could not use canister on account of the division having formed intoe enemy and my battery; also I judged the distance (600 yards) too great. After firing a few rounds I found that as there was a rise in the ground between the enemy's and my batteries which prevented my Parrott guns from reaching them, I directed shell to be fired into the wood where I supposed the enemy's support to be, and continued to reply to the enemy's battery with my two 12-pounder howitzers, which in a short time silenced them and caused them to leave behind one caisson, many dead horses, and two dead officers. In consequence of the knoll between us I suffered no loss, as their rifled guns could not reach me from the same cause that prevented by Parrotts from reaching them. But the howitzer's fire to them was close and terribly destructive. Casualties none. August 12, 1862, advanced with General Buford's cavalry brigade to Robertson River and skirmished with the enemy, driving off his cavalry which had drawn up into line of battle.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.

J. THOMPSON,

Captain, Commanding Independent Battery, Pennsylvania Volunteers.

General RICKETTS.

[12.]

Report of Colonel George L. Beal, Tenth Maine Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TENTH Maine REGIMENT,
Culpeper Court-House, Va., August 11, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the late movements of my command:

At 1.30 p. m. August 8 I received orders from you to march in one hour with only arms and equipments. At the appointed time the regiment, with the others of the First Brigade, went out on the Orange Court-House road about seven miles. The air had been extremely hot and fully a third of the men had fallen out, but nearly all came up during the evening. Being ordered to support Knap's battery, I placed the regiment behind the hill and remained there all the night and next day till 4.15 p. m., when, other regiments of Banks' army having arrived, we changed our position in front of Cedar Run and to the right of the road, which being done we were again ordered toward to support Best's battery. The battery, on taking position in the rear of woods at the right of the road, was assailed by a heavy artillery fire from the enemy's right and center, from which the regiment was protected by the woods and by lying down. I am happy to state that none of my force were injured by this fire. At about 6 p. m. I was ordered to advance through the woods, and did so at once. On emerging from them the condition of affairs was as follows: Across the open space, and distant 200 and 300 yards, were other woods, in the lower eastern edge of which the enemy's musketry was just being commenced. An unknown Federal regiment on the Orange road was retreating slowly before this fire and that from the enemy's center, as