John D. Wilkins to Captain, August 6, 1862

CAPTAIN:

I have the honor to report that, in obedience to the orders I received, I proceeded on the 4th instant to Coggins Point, and after some delay, on account of the boats getting aground, I proceeded to the point marked on the map B, leaving one company at A.* Arriving about 5 p. m. I immediately relieved Colonel Sickel, posting my.pickets on the line occupied by his. After night, on his recommendation, I relieved the first line by a line posted in rear of the swamp and in front of the battery. In the afternoon Colonel Childs arrived with 125 cavalry, and about the middle of the night Lieutenant Elder with a battery. Colonel – Sickel informed me that the enemy’s pickets were quite near, and had shown themselves near his at the barn; also that from the tracks seen quite a number had been there the night before. After a consultation with Colonel Childs we determined the next morning to occupy all the open ground to our front, which was accordingly done at daybreak on the 5th. The cavalry were posted on all the roads, and the infantry were placed about half a mile in advance of their former position. .

At 8 o’clock on the 5th I received the orders brought by yourself to find out the position of the enemy, and on the arrival of General Butterfield to attack the enemy with my whole force. The enemy were supposed to be at Sycamore Church, and I immediately commenced reconnoitering with the cavalry to find out where he was, and learned from the officer in command that he had pursued the enemy’s picket through the place known as Sycamore Church and about a mile beyond it, and captured a picket and contraband. On inquiry of them I learned that the enemy were beyond at a place known as the Brick Church, the contraband pointing out the road to the right as the most direct route to it. General Butterfield arrived about the middle of the day, and I immediately reported to him. He directed my pickets to be relieved, and after assembling them I proceeded to the Brick Church by the road before indicated. On my arrival there I found the church situated in a grove as reported, and on the left and rear of it saw the

enemy’s pickets, three mounted, near. As five infantry regiments were reported to be at this point I ordered the cavalry to endeavor to capture the pickets, but they failed after a pursuit of about a mile. No infantry force was to be seen in the neighborhood. Three dismounted men had shown themselves at the same point as the first picket, and were supposed to be the same. The picket fired one shot at us before leaving.

BiSe an examination of the ground in front I am confident there is no force within 4 miles of the point marked D, and that the pickets are from a force considerably to the interior, my own impression being Petersburg, judging from the inclosed envelope, the letter inside of which was dated June 17, 1862.

As it was late in the afternoon and my men very much exhausted

from heat, the weather being excessively hot, I determined to return, .

and after the usual delay at the landing I arrived in this camp at 8.30 p. m. ne assistant surgeon with my command reports twenty cases of sunstroke as having occurred during the time we were absent. I am,

very respectfully, your obedient servant, –