Spear's brigade Total* My force at Reams' Station consisted of about 6,000 arms-bearing men of the infantry, at most, and about 2,000 cavalry, excluding that part of the cavalry on picket from General Warren's left to the plank road. The enemy's force is not known to me. Prisoners were taken from Wilcox's and Heth's divisions, Anderson's brigade, of Field's division, and Hampton's cavalry, which was in large force. One brigade, if not two, of Mahone's division, was also said by prisoners to be present. I forward herewith the report of Major-General Gibbon, Second Division; Brigadier-General Miles, First Division, and BrigadierGeneral Gregg, commanding cavalry. A tabular statement of casualties also accompanies this report. The following officers of my staff were with me on the field and were unusually exposed, owing to the peculiar formation of the lines, and were prominent in the performance of their duties, especially in restoring order after the enemy broke my line: Lieut. Col. F. A. Walker, assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. Col. C. H. Morgan, assistant inspector-general and chief of staff; Lieut. Col. J. S. Smith, chief commissary of subsistence; A. N. Dougherty, medical director; Charles Smart, assistant surgeon; Maj. A. W. Angel, Fifth New Jersey, topographical engineer; Captain Clark, commanding artillery; Capt. E. P. Brownson, commissary of musters; Maj. W. G. Mitchell, aide-de-camp; Capt. I. B. Parker, aide-de-camp; Capt. W. D. W. Miller, aide-de-camp; Capt. J. S. Conrad, Second Infantry, judge advocate; Capt. W. P. Wilson, One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, acting assistant-adjutant-general; Capt. C. S. McEntee, assistant quartermaster. I regret to record the death of Capt. E. P.. Brownson, commissary of musters, mortally wounded while conducting to the front men he had assisted in rallying. Lieut. Col. F. A. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, was sent to the front with an order just before the troops were withdrawn, and owing to the darkness rode into the enemy's lines and was captured. Private Canby B. Alrich, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, chief clerk in the assistant adjutant-general's office, was employed during the day, in the temporary absence of my staff officers, as an aide, and performed the duty with great promptness and intelligence. The report of the chief of artillery has been delayed by the absence of this officer, but will be forwarded hereafter. Gregg's cavalry division. Officers. Men. Officers. Men. Respectfully submitted. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Army of the Potomac. * But see revised statement, pp. 129, 130. Officers. Men. 12 1127 10 19 18 17 117 46 36 32 194 1344 6 Maj. Gen. GEORGE G. MEADE, BALTIMORE, MD., October 16, 1865. Philadelphia, Pa.: GENERAL: In my report of the operations of the Second Corps between the 22d and 26th of August, 1864, including the engagement at Reams' Station on the 25th, I state as follows: A copy of a dispatch from General Warren to General Humphreys was also furnished me, and is here inserted: "General HUMPHREYS: "HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, "I have received your report of the signal officer. This force may be only working parties going out. All the prisoners I sent you to-day say they are working on a new line all along. I feel certain if they have gone out it is to interfere with General Hancock. They cannot do anything with me here. "Respectfully, "G. K. WARREN, It seems to me that a mistake has been made in copying the dispatch. I think the time should read 9 p. m. instead of 9 a. m. I will be much obliged if you will have the original dispatch referred to, and inform me whether the above copy is correct. If the time should be 9 p.m. instead of 9 a. m., I respectfully request that you will cause it to be corrected in the original report in the office of Lieutenant-General Grant. The spelling of the name of the assistant adjutant-general of the Fifth Corps might be corrected from Korcke to Locke at the same time. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command on the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th ultimo: On the morning of the 25th Gibbon's division (under the command of General Egan, during the absence of General Gibbon) and Mott's division were withdrawn from the intrenchments in front of Petersburg and massed in a concealed position in rear of the lines. Miles' division assumed the entire line, from near Redoubt Converse on the Appomattox to Battery 24 on the left. At 2 p. m. on the 26th Egan and Mott moved along the rear line of intrenchments to the vicinity of Fort Dushane on the Weldon railroad, where they went into bivouac. I was expected to bivouac on the Vaughan road near the Davis house, though it was not so stated in the order, but there was some difficulty in fixing the road to that point, and it was found that we could move with equal facility from Fort Dushane, taking a cross-road from Wyatt's house, on the Church road, over to the Vaughan road. The order for the movement on the 27th was further modified by changing the hour for starting from 2 a. m. to 3.30 a. m. The order of movement prescribed that I should move down the Vaughan road with my two divisions, cross Hatcher's Run; thence by Dabney's Mill to the Boydton plank road; thence by the White Oak road, recrossing Hatcher's Run, and, finally, that I should strike the South Side Railroad. Gregg's division of cavalry was placed under my orders, and was to move on my left flank by way of Rowanty Post-Office and the Quaker road. The operations of the Ninth and Fifth Corps were intended, I presume, to occupy the enemy to an extent that would forbid their concentration against me. The cavalry bivouacked near me on the night of the 26th. At 3.30 a. m. it moved out by the Halifax road, while the infantry (Egan's division in advance) moved over to the Vaughan road, where the enemy's vedettes were first encountered. The march was somewhat delayed by obstructions in the road, but the head of Egan's column reached Hatcher's Run very soon after daylight; and Egan at once made his arrangements to force the crossing. The enemy were posted in a riflepit on the opposite bank. They were in small force, but the approaches were difficult, trees having been felled in the stream, which was waist deep, above and below the ford. Smyth's brigade was deployed in the first line, and went forward in gallant style, carrying the works, with a loss of about 50 men. Lieutenant-Colonel Spalter, Fourth Ohio, commanding the skirmish line, was killed here. As soon as the command was in hand on the opposite bank, Egan moved by the nearest road to Dabney's Mill, while Mott's division followed the Vaughan road for a mile, and then struck over to the mill by a cross-road. About the time we arrived at the mill I received a dispatch from General Gregg, telling me he had crossed the run, and the sound of his guns could be heard on our left. I should have stated that at the ford I sent a dispatch to the major-general commanding stating that I had effected a crossing, and expressing some uneasiness at not hearing the firing of the Ninth Corps. As soon as Mott reached Dabney's Mill Egan moved on toward the Boydton road. The sound of Gregg's guns became more distinct, and it was hoped that we might strike the plank road in time to inflict some damage to the enemy, but we arrived in season only to hurry up their rear guard. A small party of good cavalry might perhaps have captured a part of their train, then passing over Hatcher's Run, but nothing could be accomplished with the cavalry I had in my advance. As soon as we emerged into the clearing at the plank road the enemy opened fire on us from near Burgess' Tavern and from our left, having apparently a section of artillery at each place. Beck's battery, of the Fifth Artillery, soon silenced the fire of the section by the tavern. Soon after my arrival at the Boydton road General Gregg came in by the Quaker road, and preparations were at once made for continuing the march by the White Oak road. General Egan's division moved down the Boydton road toward the bridge, for the purpose of driving the enemy across the run. Mott's division was put in motion for the White Oak road, and a brigade of cavalry sent down to relieve Egan, in order that he might follow Mott. At this juncture, about 1 p. m., I received instructions from the majorgeneral commanding to halt at the plank road. General Mott formed one brigade in line, looking toward the upper bridge, while General Egan continued to press the enemy's dismounted cavalry, who held their ground with tenacity, but were finally driven over the run by a charge from a part of Smyth's brigade. Very soon after the order to halt was received, General Meade came on the field, accompanied by Lieutenant-General Grant. General Meade informed me that Crawford's division, of the Fifth Corps, was feeling its way up along the south bank of the run, and desired me to assist in making the connection by extending to the right. The same information substantially, and a caution concerning the vacant space between the Fifth Corps and my right, had been received from General Humphreys, chief of staff, but a few minutes before General Meade's arrival. Under instructions from me, General Egan deployed two of his brigades to the right of the plank road, and subsequently deployed two regiments as far as they would reach to the right, and it was at one time reported that the connection with General Crawford was made, but the report was erroneous. Major Bingham, of my staff, was sent to communicate with General Crawford, and states that he found him about one mile from my headquarters, and a short three-fourths of a mile from my right. The enemy meanwhile were not idle. They placed nine guns in position in front of Egan on the north bank of the run, and five more about 800 yards from Egan's left, on the White Oak road, from which they opened a very annoying artillery fire. Beck, with four guns of his battery, replied gallantly. General Gregg was directed to send one of his brigades to drive away or capture the battery on our left, but on making a reconnaissance of the position thought he discovered infantry protected by hastily constructed works, and did not advance against the battery. More important events diverted my attention from this point, though Granger's battery, Tenth Massachusetts, was sent forward to relieve Beck, that the latter might replenish his ammunition. As soon as Major Bingham returned from General Crawford and reported his (General Crawford's) whereabouts, Lieutenant-General Grant and General Meade left the field, giving me verbal orders to hold my position until the following morning, when I was to fall back by the same road I had come. For a better understanding of the events of the day reference is made to the accompanying sketch, which shows the position of my command between 3 and 4 p. m. Knowing the views of my superiors, I had determined to assault the bridge and gain possession of the high ground beyond. General Egan, whose division occupied the crest of the ridge near Burgess' Tavern, had been intrusted with the necessary preparations, and McAllister's brigade, of Mott's division, had gone forward to support him. De Trobriand's brigade, of Mott's division, was still in line of battle, facing the approaches from the upper bridge. The remaining brigade of Mott's division (General Pierce's) had been moved up to support a section of Beck's artillery, under Lieutenant Metcalf, which was in position on a secondary ridge about midway between Mott and Egan. Constant firing had been heard on my right, which was attributed to Crawford's Becoming uneasy, I ordered two regiments of Pierce's brigade to advance well into the wood and ascertain what was there. Lieutenant Stacey, of my staff, was sent to General Crawford to inform him that I was about to assault the bridge, for which preparations were complete. A section of Granger's battery had been advanced to cover the bridge; the artillery had already opened, and a small party of the One hundred and sixty-fourth New York, the advance of the storming party, had pushed across the bridge, capturing a 10-pounder Parrott gun. Just at this time, about 4 p. m., a volley of musketry immediately on my right, which was followed by a continuous fire, left no doubt that the enemy were advancing. The small force of Pierce's brigade in the woods were overrun by weight of numbers, and the enemy broke out of the woods just where Metcalf's section was placed. Metcalf changed front, and fired a few rounds, and the part of Pierce's brigade in support endeavored to change front, but were unable to do |