enemy in front of the battery and remove it. A portion of Gibson's brigade of Stewart's division was also sent me, but was soon recalled. The troops engaged, it will thus be seen, were Brown's and Reynolds' brigades, and also the two right regiments of Cumming's. During the day, Tenner's battery reported to me, and rendered good service. In the evening I received orders to move that portion of my force which was on the right of General Cumming, out of the trenches, and, co-operating with General Stewart, to swing around upon the enemy. At the moment that I received the order, the enemy were making a heavy assault upon General Reynolds, and Brown had not yet replenished his ammunition. The order, however, was peremptory, and the movement was attempted. The Fifty-fourth Virginia on the right leaped the trenches, and rushed bravely upon the enemy, but found that there was no connection with General Stewart's left, and being thus unsupported, were compelled to fall back before the rest of the brigade moved out. In this attempt, the gallant Captain G. D. Wise, of my staff, was dangerously wounded, and the regiment, in less than fifteen minutes, lost above one hundred (100) officers and men.
That night I received orders to withdraw, which was effected, owing to the coolness of the troops, without serious loss. My last brigade had not marched three hundred yards from the trenches before the enemy made an assault. Especial credit is due the skirmishers of Brown's brigade for their conduct in this affair, and I ask attention to his report.
As I have stated, I covered the disputed battery with my fire in such a manner that it was utterly impossible for the enemy to remove it, and I knew that I could retake it at any time, but thought that it could be done with less loss of life at night, and therefore postponed my attack. When ordered to retire, I represented the state of things to the General-Commanding, who decided to abandon the guns.
Upon my arrival at New Hope church, I put my command in position on the right of General Stewart, and very soon thereafter the enemy assaulted him in force. A small portion of my left brigade (Brown's) was engaged, and the men behaved with their usual spirit until relieved. The enemy kept up a heavy fire of skirmishers and artillery upon my front line—Brown and Pettus—and inflicted considerable loss; but my skirmishers behaved well, and were only driven back upon portions of the line. On the 28th, I was informed by General Baker that the enemy had succeeded in
