ing at Malvern Hill this day, and being engaged in a skirmish, supporting a battery. July 2d, they started at three, A. M., and marched to Harrison's Landing in a driving storm. Here the entire army were encamped. July 3d, they moved back some three miles into an open field, and on the 4th again moved, and pitched camp in a piece of woods about three miles from the river. Here they remained some days, being engaged in throwing up earthworks, and doing other fatigue duty. August 2d, the brigade started as part of a reconnoissance in force to Malvern Hill, but returned the same night in consequence of some mistake. On the 4th, it again started, and on the 5th had an engagement with the enemy. The firing, however, was mostly confined to artillery. At midnight on the 6th, they were ordered to fall back, and arrived at camp on the morning of the 7th.

During the succeeding week they remained inactive, and on the morning of the 15th, in connection with the rest of the army, commenced the backward movement from James River. During that day they kept on down the river bank, and bivouacked that night four miles below Charles City Court house. They started again on the morning of the 16th, and encamped that night near Chickahominy River. 17th, they crossed the Chickahominy, and after a long and fatiguing march, stopped at the village of Barhamsville. The succeeding night they bivouacked near Williamsburg, and on the 19th passed through that city, past the battle-field, and encamped two miles short of Yorktown. They remained there on the next day, and on the 21st proceeded to Yorktown, and embarked on board the steamer Vanderbilt. They weighed anchor and started down the river at four, A. M., of the 22d, but getting aground at the mouth of York River, remained till the next morning, when they proceeded up the river. Nothing unusual occurred during the trip up the Potomac. On August 24th they disembarked at Alexandria, and marching through the city, encamped for the night, near Fort Ellsworth. Late in the afternoon of the 25th, they took the cars for Warrenton Junction, where they arrived at nine, P. M. On the 26th, they advanced their position one mile and a half, and early on the morning of the 27th, started down the railroad in pursuit of Jackson's forces, who had, on the previous night, made a

raid on the railroad at Catlet's Station. The men were in light marching order, and their camp was left standing. About halfpast one, P. M., they came up with the enemy at Kettle Run, and a brisk engagement ensued, lasting till dark, when the enemy retreated towards Manassas. The regiment that night slept on the battle-field, two companies being deployed as skirmishers and picket during the night. On the 28th, the camp equipage, officers' baggage and company's books, &c., which we had left behind, were burned by order of Major-General Banks. At two, P. M., this day, they continued on down the railroad, passing Manassas Junction to the south side of Bull Run, near Blackburn's Ford, where they slept that night.

Reveille was sounded at two, A. M., on the 29th, and they crossed the Run and proceeded to Centreville Heights, where they halted till daylight, soon after which they again moved forward, and on arriving on the old battle-field of 1861, became engaged with the enemy, and what is known as the battle of Bull Run the second followed. The loss of this regiment was heavy. This night they bivouacked about a half mile in rear of the field. Early on the afternoon of the 30th, they were moved forward in line of battle to the ground of the previous day's conflict, and took position as reserve to General Devens' Brigade, being under very heavy fire. At dark, in connection with the whole line, they fell back to Centreville, where they slept that night. On the 31st, at three, A. M., the regiment advanced as skirmishers, remaining in this position till the next morning. At five, P. M., of September 1st, Colonel Cowdin being in command of the brigade, and Captain Baldwin of the regiment, they started in the midst of a heavy storm toward Fairfax Court-house. At Chantilly a skirmish ensued, during which they acted as support to a battery of artillery, and were under a heavy fire, remaining in line of battle till three, A. M., of the 2d, when they started again for Fairfax Court-house, thence to Fairfax Station, sleeping three miles beyond. On the 3d they proceeded via Pohock Church to Alexandria, where they encamped near Fort Lyon. On the afternoon of the next day (4th) they moved their camp forward some three-quarters of a mile to a more commodious site, (near Fort Lyon). They remained there till the 13th, when they changed to a position near Fairfax Seminary, some three miles from Alexandria. At this

place they made quite a stay, resuming their drills and picket duty, and also being engaged in throwing up rifle pits and other defences. On the 26th September, Colonel Cowdin again assumed command, remaining till October 3d, when, having been promoted to Brigadier-General, he took leave of the regiment, the command then devolving upon Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin. October 20th they were ordered to garrison Munson's Hill, some four miles from the Seminary. This position was a very bleak and exposed one, and, the weather at the time being quite cold, for a few nights they suffered severely. They left, in obedience to orders, on November 1st, rejoining their division at the old camp, and at five P. M., on the same day marching with them in the direction of Fairfax Court-house, bivouacking that night at Annandale. On the 2d they passed Fairfax Court-house, and when within two miles of Centreville, were ordered back to the Court-house, where they encamped. A portion of the regiment were next day sent to Fairfax Station to guard the railroad at that point, together with the commissary depot established there. A day or two later the remainder of the regiment, with the exception of Company C, moved to the Station. Company C, under Major Walker as Provost Marshal, remained at the Court-house doing provost duty. Here they remained till November 25th, when they were ordered to rejoin their division, which had previously moved towards the Rappahannock. Early in the morning they accordingly started, fording the Occoquan River at Wolf's Run Shoals, encamping in the afternoon near the southern bank. They remained there some days, awaiting the arrival of a hospital supply train, which, having arrived, they started again on the morning of December 1st, and went to Dumfries, stopping there that night. On the 2d they passed through and encamped a mile beyond Stafford Court-house, and on the 3d rejoined the division, lying with the Army of the Potomac along the Rappahannock, in front of Fredericksburg. The usual routine of camp duties succeeded, until the 11th December, when they broke camp, and with the rest of the army, took position on the heights opposite Fredericksburg during the bombardment of the 11th and 12th. They were not called into action, though frequently changing position, but on the 13th they crossed and took part in the battle of that day, and the two succeeding

ones, recrossing when the army fell back on the morning of the 16th, the First Regiment being the last one of the left wing of the army to cross, arriving in their old camp that afternoon. The following report exhibits the state of the regiment at roll call on the morning of January 19th, 1863 :

For duty-Officers, 25; enlisted men, 480.

Sick-Officers present, 1; enlisted men present, 49; officers absent, 2; enlisted men absent, 91.

Present or absent-Officers, 37; enlisted men, 743.

This regiment is now in the Army of General Burnside, near Falmouth, commanded by Colonel McLaughlen, late Captain in the U. S. Cavalry.

The following is an abstract of the roster:

1 Colonel promoted Brigadier-General Volunteers.

1 Lieutenant-Colonel promoted Colonel 34th Regiment Mass. Vols.

1 Major killed.

1 Assistant-Surgeon promoted Surgeon 21th Regiment Mass. Vols.

1 Captain promoted Colonel 35th.

1 Captain promoted Major.

1 Captain promoted Lieutenant-Colonel.

1 Captain promoted Lieutenant-Colonel 35th Regiment Mass. Vols.

6 First Lieutenants promoted Captains.

2 First Lieutenants promoted Assistant Adjutant-General's.

2 First Lieutenants killed.

2 First Lieutenants Commissary Subsistence U. S. A.

13 Second Lieutenants promoted First Lieutenants.

2 Second Lieutenants promoted Captains.

1 Second Lieutenant dismissed from the service.

2 Second Lieutenants killed.

22 Second Lieutenants have been taken from the ranks.

25 Commissions have been made for this regiment during the year 1862.

ON BOARD STEAMER NORTH STAR,
BANKS' EXPEDITION, Dec. 8, 1862.

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To His Excellency the Governor of Massachusetts:
Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a Circular Letter
from the Executive Department of the State of Massachusetts, bearing date
November 7, 1862.

In reply thereto, and as an act of justice to those noble Regiments, the First, Eleventh, and Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, which I had the honor to command during the Peninsula Campaign, I beg leave to state that for soldierly bearing and bravery in the field, they have been everywhere conspicuous, and have, on every occasion which has come under my notice, done honor to their State.

I would make special mention of the Sixteenth and First Regiments.

I cannot suggest any legislation by which the Massachusetts Regiments can be improved. It would be highly desirable, if it were possible, to find some means by which vacancies in the effective strength of Regiments, due to the absence of sick and wounded, could be filled, but I can suggest no means of reaching the difficulty. I am, Sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

C. GROVER, Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

HEAD-QUARTERS, DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON,
WASHINGTON, December 17th, 1862.

His Excellency Governor JOHN A. ANDREW, Boston, Massachusetts:
GOVERNOR, I have had under my command, during the campaign on
the Peninsula and the short campaign with General Pope, in the Army of
Virginia, the First Massachusetts, Colonel Cowdin, Eleventh Massachusetts,
Colonel Blaisdell, and the Sixteenth Massachusetts, Colonel Wyman.

The First and Eleventh Massachusetts Regiments, under the command of Brigadier-General C. Grover, were engaged in the siege of Yorktown, and in the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Glendale and Malvern Hill on the Peninsula, and in General Pope's Army, in those of Kettle Run, Bull Run and Chantilly.

The Sixteenth Massachusetts was on the Peninsula engaged in the skirmish at Woodland and in the battles at Glendale and Malvern Hill. With General Pope's Army at Kettle Run, Bull Run, and Chantilly.

At Glendale Colonel Wyman was killed gallantly leading his regiment. In all those actions these regiments behaved with distinguished success, and the State has reason to be proud of them. They have carried her white flag with the foremost.

You have no doubt had copies of the Reports of the Colonels. Those I received, as well as those of the Brigade Commanders, I enclosed with mine to General Head-Quarters and am, therefor, unable to furnish you with extracts. I am too much occupied now to give my views or to enter fully upon the subject of what legislation is necessary to promote the efficiency of our Volunteer Army. I will however make one or two suggestions.

Officers should never be elected by their men. This course always impairs the efficiency of troops, and is the principal reason why straggling cannot be