of Captain O. M. Poe, chief engineer. The works were never fully completed. The detachments in the city furnished but small details. Measures were early taken to graze the animals, as the forage supply was very limited, and soon, under the direction of Major- General Slocum, commanding, large foraging parties were organized and sent out under strong guards to the neighborhood of Yellow and South Rivers. They were eminently successful. The four expeditions brought back on an average each of over 650 wagon-loads of corn and fodder, besides considerable subsistence supplies of cattle, sheep, poultry, sweet potatoes, honey, syrup and the like. The chief quartermaster of the corps reports as turned over to him from these expeditions, corn, 1,932,468 pounds; fodder, 138,200 pounds. Some little show of opposition was made to these parties by the enemy's cavalry, but not a wagon of the long train was lost. Credit is due to the commanders of the several escorts, Brigadier-General Geary, Colonels Robinson, Dustin, and Carman, and to Colonel Garrard, commanding cavalry brigade, who went out with each expedition.

On the morning of the 9th of November the enemy's cavalry (reported to be two brigades of Wheeler's command) approached the city and opened with artillery from positions a little south of Decatur road, and from elevations down the McDonough road. Along the latter road they undertook, with dismounted men, an assault on the lines of Geary's DIVISION, probably under the idea that we were evacuating Atlanta. The affair was feeble. The enemy left a few dead and wounded in front of our lines, without inflicting a single casualty on us. Carman's brigade, of the First DIVISION, was sent out in the hope of intercepting his movements, but the enemy, learning his mistake, had fled in great haste toward Jonesborough. On the 11th of November, Major-General Slocum having been assigned to the command of the Left Wing, Army of Georgia, I was placed, by Special Orders, Numbers 1, headquarters Left Wing, in command of the corps. November 13, a brigade from each DIVISION was sent to destroy the railroad between Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River, which was reported the next morning as effectually done. *

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. S. WILLIAMS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel H. C. RODGERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 24. Report of Colonel William Cogswell, Second Massachusetts Infantry, commanding post of Atlanta, Ga.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY,
Savannah, Ga., December 26, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command while stationed at the post of Atlanta, Ga.:

Upon the occupation of that city by the Twentieth Corps, September 2, 1864, I was directed by Major-General Slocum, commanding the corps, to encamp my regiment in the city and assume command of the post, and by Special Orders, Numbers 74, extract 4, headquarters Twentieth Corps, September 5, 1864, I was detailed to the same command, and the Second Massachusetts Infantry, the One hundred and eleventh Penn-

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* For continuation of report, relating to the Savannah campaign, see Vol. XLIV, Part I.

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