HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE,
New Bern, March 16, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in obedience to the orders of General Burnside I landed my brigade at the mouth of Slocum's Creek, some 16 miles from New Berne, and proceeded at once to advance toward the railroad, where we expected first to meet the rebels. After a march of about 4 miles we arrived at a long line of deserted intrenchments, the rebels having abandoned them shortly before. Here I met General Foster, and, agreeably to the general commanding's orders, we awaited the arrival of the rest of the division. The general, soon coming up, ordered me to follow the railroad toward New Berne. The advance was continued until about 8 p.m., when the troops were ordered to bivouac. I was ordered by the general commanding to advance at daylight and attack the right of the rebel lines, but owing to the severe rain of the previous night I found that many of the muskets would not fire, so I ordered that all should discharge their load, drawing such as would not fire. After this my brigade moved forward along the railroad in the following order: Twenty-first Massachusetts, Fifty-first New York, Ninth New Jersey, and Fifty-first Pennsylvania.. At about a quarter before 8 a.m. I heard General Foster's brigade hotly engaged, and in a few minutes I saw a large number of the enemy apparently engaged in getting a gun to bear on the railroad. I ordered the skirmishers to fire upon them, at the same time ordering the Twenty-first Massachusetts forward into line. The enemy now opened a brisk fire upon*us from near the railroad, the skirmishers in advance replying briskly, and as soon as the right wing of the Twenty-first Massachusetts got into line I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Clark to charge and take the brick-kiln, which was gallantly executed.

In the mean time I ordered my aides to bring up the balance of my brigade and form in line to the left of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, placing the Fifty-first Pennsylvania in reserve, supporting the extreme left of my line. Owing to the thick fog it was almost impossible to see the rebels, and not knowing that their line extended beyond the railroad, after having ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Clark to advance along the inside of the enemy's intrenchments, I returned across the railroad to bring up the rest of my brigade to his support, but finding the left wing of the Twenty-first Massachusetts and the Fifty-first New York hotly engaged in front and the enemy's lines extending far beyond my extreme left, I found it necessary to attack them in front, and as the ground-was quite uneven I directed the regiments to advance as near as possible under cover of the ridges and pick off the enemy whenever their heads appeared above their line of intrenchments.

In the mean time the Ninth New Jersey also came into line and opened a well-directed fire upon a two-gun battery only some 200 yards in front of them, and so accurate was their fire that the enemy could only occasionally fire their guns. The battle now became general along our whole line, and raged fiercely for about three and a half hours. The Fifty-first Pennsylvania was held in reserve during this time, and although exposed to a severe fire, Colonel Hartranft did not allow a single shot to be fired, but directed the men to lie down, and thus saved them from much loss.

It having been reported to me that the regiments engaged had expended nearly all their ammunition, I ordered Colonel Hartranft to send one wing of his regiment to relieve the Fifty-first New York, which had suffered very severely. As soon as they arrived I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Bell to pass the Fifty-first New York, deliver one volley, and then charge upon the enemy's intrenchments. At the same time I sent orders to the Ninth New Jersey and the remainder of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania to charge. All this was gallantly executed, and the rebels fled precipitately from all their intrenchments. Some 50 prisoners were captured in these works, many severely wounded. Upon reaching the rebel intrenchments I was rejoiced to see our flag waving along the entire line of the enemy's works, General Parke's brigade having previously stormed and captured their center batteries and General Foster's their left.

At the commencement of the action I left Lieutenant-Colonel Clark with his right wing inside of the enemy's intrenchments, ordering him to proceed along their lines toward their left, where General Foster's brigade was engaged, intending to support him immediately, but owing to circumstances previously mentioned was unable to do so. I was, however, confident that he would be able to extricate his command should he meet overwhelming forces, and most gallantly did he do so; for coming unexpectedly upon a light battery of six pieces he charged and captured the entire battery, but was driven out by an overwhelming force of rebel infantry. I beg leave to refer the general commanding to his report of this most daring charge.

In this severely-contested battle both officers and soldiers behaved with distinguished gallantry and nobly sustained the honor of their respective regiments. It would make my report entirely too long to particularize the gallant conduct even of those officers and men who came under my own observation, but I desire that the reports and commendations of the regimental commanders be considered as part of my own.

It is with the deepest regret that I have to announce the death of First Lieutenant Stearns, acting adjutant of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, one of the most accomplished and gallant officers in the Army; of Chaplain Benton, of the Fifty-first New York, who was killed while nobly encouraging the men to do their duty, and of First Lieutenant Allen, of the same regiment, who was shot dead at the head of his company. Also Captain Johnson, mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Walker, of the Ninth New Jersey, who was killed in front of his company. Captain Frazer was wounded and captured in the battery taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Clark, but after it was retaken by the Fourth Rhode Island, and the rebels were retreating with him, he managed to keep in the rear, and drawing his revolver captured the three men left to guard him. Lieutenant-Colonel Potter, of the Fifty-first New York, was wounded early in the action, but he most gallantly continued with the regiment during the entire battle and rendered very important service. Major Le Gendre, of the same regiment, displayed most conspicuous courage until he fell severely wounded. Lieutenants Tryon, McKee, and Coddington, of the Fifty-first New York, also displayed conspicuous courage, and were all wounded, but not fatally. Of the Ninth New Jersey the following gallant officers were wounded, viz: Captains Middleton, McChesney, and Hufty.

I inclose herewith a complete list of the killed and wounded. In the early part of the battle Lieutenant Reno, one of my aides, made a most daring reconnaissance of the enemy's right, and first informed me of the extent of their lines. They had thirteen finished redans and five guns bearing on my brigade, and an almost impassable morass filled with fallen timber had to be passed over before reaching them. Captain Neill, assistant adjutant-general, was always with me when not carrying orders, and displayed conspicuous courage and coolness. Lieutenants Reno and Morris, aides, rendered highly important service and behaved most gallantly. Lieutenants Reed and Marsh, of the Signal Corps, acted as aides and did their duty well. Captain Ritchie, acting commissary of subsistence, and Lieutenant Hall, acting brigade quartermaster, were present in the battle and behaved gallantly. The surgeons and chaplains of the different regiments did their duty nobly on the field of battle. I desire to return my thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel Clark, commanding the Twenty-first Massachusetts; to Colonel Ferrero, commanding Fifty-first New York; to Colonel Heckman, commanding Ninth New Jersey, and to Colonel Hartranft, commanding Fifty-first Pennsylvania, for the admirable manner in which they brought their regiments into line and for their gallantry on the field. Eight companies of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bell, were detailed to drag up six guns furnished by the Navy, and commanded by Lieutenant McCook, and one from the Cossack, commanded by Captain Bennett, who gallantly volunteered to man it. They succeeded in bringing up the guns, arriving in camp about 2 a.m. on the 14th instant. After almost incredible labor the guns were all brought into action and most gallantly served, but from the nature of the ground they were unable to join my brigade, but served with General Foster, who no doubt will do full justice to their gallantry. The total loss in my brigade was 36 killed, 5 mortally wounded, and 160 more or less severely wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. RENO, 
Brigadier-General, Commanding Second Brigade.

Capt. Lewis RICHMOND, 
Assistant Adjutant-General.