time of explosion in the morning. I remained here about one hour and marched back to the rear of the position occupied by the division for the past month. After dark moved to the front and relieved that portion of the Second Corps occupying my old line. It is proper to state that during the time my command was moving from the intrenchments to the belt of woods above referred to the enemy kept up a constant fire on my troops. Major Swartwout, commanding Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, was killed while gallantly leading his command across the creek bottom to the woods. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Major Diller, commanding Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers; Captain Price, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers; Captain Kirby, Forty-seventh New York Volunteers, and Capt. J. Taylor, who commanded the Forty-eighth New York Volunteers after the fall of Major Swartwout, for gallantry displayed during the affair. My staff officers performed their respective duties with great promptness and gallantry. I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. B. COAN, Lieut. Col. Forty-eighth Regt. New York Vols., Comdg. Brig. Capt. I. R. SEALY, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 261. Reports of Col. Louis Bell, Fourth New Hampshire Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations June 30 and July 30. HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., TENTH ARMY CORPS, July 1, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the action of the 30th ultimo: In obedience to orders, I had 350 men, under command of Captain Mendenhall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the brow of the hill, behind where the rifle-pits are dug in the skirt of the woods, at 5 p. m., and the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers, in command of Major Colvin, in rear of the first party as support. Shortly after, in obedience to an order from the general commanding, I moved Captain Mendenhall's command into the edge of the woods and opened fire on the parapet of the enemy's work to our right, to cover Colonel Barton's proposed movement. The left of Captain Mendenhail's command was exposed to a heavy fire from their left, and was compelled to move by the right flank under the brow of the hill and then went into the woods. The whole of Captain Mendenhall's line was then formed within the woods on the crest of the hill. Within a few minutes a regiment of the enemy came out on our left over the works and seemed about to charge the left flank of Captain Mendenhall's line. I ordered the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers to move to a position previously designated, forming a line nearly at right angles with Captain Mendenhall's line. The right of the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers advanced, and being met with a heavy fire, fell back a few feet to the crest of the hill, from which they opened fire on the enemy's regiment, soon compelling it to move into the woods toward our right, where they disappeared in rifle-pits. Before this time a force estimated at two regiments was seen by Captain Mendenhall and other officers to move to our right and go into the works in Colonels Barton's and Curtis' front. I was unable to gain any ground, and a short time before dark, in obedience to orders, I withdrew my men, leaving only the regular picket party in the rifle-pits. Out of about 750 men engaged 150 were killed and wounded. It gives me great pleasure to bear witness to the gallantry of the officers in command of the parties, and especially to mention. Captain Mendenhall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant Zent, Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers. I have the honor to be, captain, most respectfully, your obedient servant, LOUIS BELL, Capt. I. R. SEALY, Colonel, Commanding Brigade. Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., TENTH ARMY CORPS, August 3, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the brigade under my command in the action of July 30 before Petersburg: The brigade moved from the line of works at 11 p. m. July 29, and marched through the line of works occupied by the Ninth Corps. At 2.30 the brigade was formed in column of regiments, deployed en masse in an angle formed by the trenches. After the mine was sprung, in obedience to orders, I moved the brigade to the line of works next the works of the enemy, and very soon after again formed column of regiments, deployed. I received an order to move forward to the line we had taken from the enemy, gaining as much ground to the right as practicable. On arriving at the works I put the brigade in line as well as I could do it under the severe fire, holding one regiment in reserve. After remaining at this place for some time I sent a staff officer for instructions, and received orders to gain as much ground to the right as I could, and to assault the battery on my right when the Ninth Corps advanced. I directed the regiment held in reserve to form on the right. On this regiment moving they were met by a severe fire. At this moment all the colored troops in my front broke and came back, dashing through my men with arms at a trail and bayonets fixed. The officers and men of my command tried to resist the dash of those retreating but to no avail. Quite a number of my men were wounded by the bayonets of the retreating troops, and the brigade was disorganized by the large number of fugitives passing through it. After vainly attempting to reform the brigade under a severe enfilading fire from both the right and left, the enemy being near us in front also, I fell back from this line to the one I had previously occupied, and after holding this line some three hours was relieved by other troops and marched to the rear. Had my command not been run over and confused by the mob of panic-stricken negroes I could have held the position I occupied against any force then visible, though I should have met with a severe loss in doing so, owing to the sharp fire, almost enfilading my line from both right and left. The conduct of the regimental officers is deserving of the highest praise. I have the honor to be, captain, most respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. I. R. SEALY, LOUIS BELL, Colonel, Commanding Brigade. Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 262. Report of Maj. Gen. William F. Smith, U. S. Army, commanding Eighteenth Army Corps, of operations June 15. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of my operations of yesterday: About 4 a. m. the head of my column left Broadway. Near Baylor's farm our cavalry came upon the enemy's artillery and infantry. General Kautz being unable to dislodge them, General Hinks was ordered to make the attack. The rifle-pits were gallantly carried by General Hinks' command and one piece of artillery captured. My command was then ordered to move forward according to the original orders of the day, and got into position around the enemy's works at Jordan's house about 1.30 p. m. I found the enemy's artillery so arranged as to have a cross-fire on most of my entire front, and some batteries which I had ordered into position were immediately driven out by enemy's fire. As no engineer officer was ordered to report to me I was obliged to make the reconnaissance in person, and' some time was unnecessarily wasted on that account, but not till about 7 p. m. were the final preparations completed for the assault. In about twenty minutes the works at Jordan's house and on its left were carried by the divisions of Generals Brooks and Hinks, capturing guns, caissons, horses, ammunition, colors, camp and garrison equipage, and intrenching tools and prisoners. Some heavy profile works in rear of the line captured still keeping up a galling artillery fire I ordered the colored troops to carry them by assault. This was gallantly done. About this time I learned that General Martindale, on my right, with Stannard's brigade in advance, had carried the enemy's works between Jordan's house and the Appomattox, capturing two pieces of artillery, with teams, caissons, &c., complete. By this time darkness had set in, and having learned some time before that re-enforcements were rapidly coming in from Richmond, and deeming that I held important points of the enemy's line of works, I thought it prudent to make no farther advance, and made my dispo sitions to hold what I already had. About midnight Gibbon's division, of the Second Corps, came up to relieve the part of my too extended lines. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the troops for their gal lantry of yesterday, and the colored troops are deserving of special mention. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major-General BUTLER, Commanding Department of Virginia, &c. 45 R R-VOL XL, PT I ADDENDA. CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864. TO THE EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS: The general commanding desires to express to his command his appreciation of their soldierly qualities as have been displayed during the campaign of the last seventeen days. Within that time they have been constantly called upon to undergo all the hardships of a soldier's life and be exposed to all of its dangers. Marches under a hot sun have ended in severe battle; after the battle, watchful nights in the trenches gallantly taken from the enemy. But the crowning point of the honor they are entitled to has been won since the 15th instant, when a series of earth-works, on most commanding positions and of formidable strength, have been carried, with all the guns and material of war of the enemy, including prisoners and colors. The works have all been held and the trophies remain in our hands. The victory is all the more important to us, as the troops have never been regularly organized in camp where time has been given them to learn the discipline necessary to a wellorganized corps d'armée, but they have been hastily concentrated and suddenly summoned to take part in the trying campaign of our country's being. Such honor as they have won will remain imperishable. To the colored troops comprising the division of General Hinks the general commanding would call the attention of his command, with the veterans of the Eighteenth Corps. They have stormed the works of the enemy and carried them, taking guns and prisoners, and in the whole affair they have displayed all the qualities of good soldiers. By command of Major-General Smith: WM. RUSSELL, JR., No. 263. Report of Maj. Gen. Edward O. C. Ord, U. S. Army, commanding Eighteenth Army Corps, of operations July 30. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Near Petersburg, August 3, 1864. GENERAL: In obedience to orders from General Meade (to whom I was ordered to report), the First and Third Divisions of the Eighteenth Corps were, on the night of the 29th of July, placed in the trenches of General Burnside's front, relieving portions of his command as trench guards, that the Ninth Corps might prepare to assault the enemy's line next a. m. The Second Division, Tenth Corps, Brigadier-General Turner commanding, and the Second Division, Eighteenth Corps, Brigadier-General Ames commanding, were placed in rear of General Burnside's corps as reserve supports, and in positions selected by him. Their orders were to await orders, to be sent as soon as the result of the assault next morning by the Ninth Corps could decide where supports might be needed. About 5 a. m. 30th of July the mine in front of the Ninth Corps was sprung, and I took my position near General Burnside, awaiting the result of his assault, and with an understanding that as soon as his corps could get out General Turner was to follow his [Burnside's] rear division and support it on the right beyond our lines. About 6 o'clock General Burnside told me it was time for General Turner to move, and I directed General Turner accordingly; but the general got ahead of Potter's division, Ninth Corps, and was obliged to wait until it had passed. To understand the manner of the movement I quote General Burnside's order, dated July 29, for the assault, which says: * * * 1. The mine will be exploded to-morrow morning at 3.30. 2. General Ledlie will immediately, upon the explosion of the mine, move his troops forward. * * 3. General Willcox will move his division forward after General Ledlie has passed through the first line of the enemy's works, bearing off to the east. 4. General Potter will move his division forward to the right of General Ledlie's as soon as it is apparent that he will not interfere with the movement of General Willcox's division, and will, as near as possible, protect the right flank of General Ledlie from any attack in that quarter, and establish a line on the crest of a hill which seems to run from the Cemetery Hill nearly at right angles to the enemy's main line, directly in our front. * * 5. General Ferrero will move his division immediately after General Willcox until he reaches our present advance line, where he will remain until the ground in his front is entirely cleared by the other three divisions, when he will move forward over the same ground that General Ledlie moved over, will pass through our lines, and, if possible, move down and occupy the village to our right. Thus it will be seen that all three of his rear divisions had to follow each the action of those in its front; and I learned afterward that the passage out and to our front line of breast-works was by a long trench or covered way and through a breach in our works. Hence the movements were slow, and there was delay, especially after the enemy had massed his men, and our wounded coming from the front began to choke this covered way, About 6.30 a. m., having sent General Turner, commanding my advance division, an order to move forward on the crest of the hill to right of Potter (see the above order directing General Potter to establish a line on the crest of the hill), near or on the Jerusalem plank road, in reply to this General Turner reported that General Burnside's troops filled the trenches in his front, occupying the crater and blocking up the way. About this time, or shortly after, I received an order directly from General Meade's headquarters, as follows: You will at once move forward your corps rapidly to the crest of the hill, independently of General Burnside's troops, and make a lodgment there, reporting the result as soon as obtained. This order I sent at once to Generals Turner and Ames. The latter was with his division, closing up on Turner and keeping his men massed for a movement in any direction. General Turner replied: The only place I can get out of the lines is opposite the crater. It is already full of men who cannot develop. I shall put in my column as soon as I can. It is impossible, by reason of the topography, to charge in the manner you indicate. I must go in by head of column and develop to the right. From General Ames I received the following: I find that the covered way is the only way of getting to the front. General Turner occupies the road, and it is impossible for me to move until he gets out of my way. Now, I had not seen the ground, and supposed all this time that there were several places of exit and the ground tolerably free from obstructions. I sent Generals Turner's and Ames' replies to General Meade and went myself to the front, where I found our men were debouching into the crater and into a short space of the enemy's trench on each side of it. 1 met General Turner, just from the crater (only seventy-five yards off), and saw our men needlessly filing into the crater and the short line of the enemy's works under a destructive cross-fire. The enemy just |