tain Station at about midnight. On the following day my brigade formed the vanguard of the expedition and returned without accident to its encampment at Atlanta. During this expedition my brigade secured about 6,000 bushels of corn, besides the usual amount of provisions and other promiscuous articles. On the 30th orders were issued to send all surplus baggage to the rear, and such preparations began to be made as clearly indicated the approach of a great movement. No further work was done on the fortifications, and all attention was given to putting the command in the best possible condition to march.

On the 5th of November, at 1 p. m., I received an unexpected order to move my brigade immediately. In a very short of time the column was moving out the McDonough road, every one supposing this to be the initial step of the campaign, but the sequel proved otherwise. Proceeding about three miles the troops bivouacked for the night, and on the following day marched back to their camps near the city. The payment of my command, which had been but partially completed, was now continued. On the 8th the President election was held in those regiments entitled by law to vote. On the 9th, at daybreak, a violent cannonade suddenly broke out on the southeastern side of the city. The cause of this was hardly comprehended, but it soon became apparent that a hostile force, either great or small, had appeared in front of our works. The firing soon shifted to our right, in front of General Geary's DIVISION, and began to me mingled with musketry; my brigade was soon afterward ordered to move to the support of General Geary, whose lines were reported as being dangerously threatened. In a few minutes my column was in motion down White Hall street, the troops keeping step to the martial bands, and the colors floating in the breeze. I had hardly reached the suburbs of the town, however, when I was informed by Major-General Slocum, that the enemy, about-in number, under the rebel General Iverson, had been driven off, and that my brigade would not be needed, and might return to its camp. I thereupon countermarched my column and moved it back to its old position. Excepting the changes incident to the reorganization of the army, no further event of importance transpired until the 14th, when the final marching orders were received. *

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. S. ROBINSON,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant GEORGE ROBINSON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First DIVISION.

Numbers 32. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Hezekiah Watkins, One hundred and forty-THIRD New York Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS 143rd REGIMENT N. Y. VOL. INFANTRY,
Near Savannah, Ga., December 26, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to forward the following report of operations of this regiment from the occupation of Atlanta to the present time:

After the possession of Atlanta by our forces the regiment went into camp on the east side of the city. While in this camp company and

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

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