latter leaving, however, one brigade at Rome) took up the line of march for Calhoun, Resaca, and Snake Creek Gap, in front of which we arrived on the morning of the 15th of October. The enemy held a position in the gap with a small force, but after a short resistance fell back through the gap and into the valleys on both sides of Taylor's Ridge. A most complete blockade of the very narrow pass through Snake Creek Gap delayed our pioneers comparatively but a short time, and before midnight the Frps was all through and in camp on the WEST end of the gap, with orders to advance early in the morning in pursuant of the enemy.

At 7 a. m. on October 16 General Woods' DIVISION left camp, the Twenty-ninth Missouri Infantry leading, and struck th rebel pickets at Villanow. They retired constantly before the lively advance of our skirmishers, until they reached their supports behind strong breastworks in Ship's Gap. This very narrow, rugged mountain pass winds along very steep between two ridges, which form a kind of a saddle. The rebels were intrenched on both ridges. Those on the nearest ridge held the direct attack of the Twenty-ninth Missouri in check. I, therefore, after reconnoitering the ground, ordered General Woods to send a demonstrating detachment on the left flank of the enemy, while around the right a stronger force was to get in the rear of them. The Twenty-sixth Iowa was detailed for the latter duty, and the commanding officer executed his instructions so well that when the order to attack was given most of the rebel infantry fell into our hands; those on the farther ridge retired suddenly. The possession of this pass gave us the road to La Fayette and the rich country of the Chickamauga Valley, which furnished us the most needed means of subsistence to both men and animals. The bridge of General Hazen, left behind at Rome, joined the DIVISION again at the gap. After the forcing of Ship's Gap the rebels made no attempt to check the advance of our column, and fell back on all roads leading south in the direction of Gaylesville and beyond Little River. We followed them as closely as possible, the Fifteenth Corps on the extreme right of the pursuing army, until we reached Little River near its junction with Chattooga River on October 21. There bridges were built across Little River and a tete-de-pont capable of holding a full brigade. The troops were put in camp with a view of remaining a few days, while a column of cavalry was sent beyond the river toward Gadsden, in order to ascertain the exact where abouts of the enemy and the movements to be expected on his part. This cavalry reconnaissance returned on the morning of October 23, reporting the enemy in force under General Wheeler in an intrenched position at Blount's place, near King's Hill. Instructed by the major-general commanding the Army of the Tennessee to proceed to the point indicated, to try the strength of the position and the numbers of the defenders, I left on the same afternoon for Blount's place with Woods' and Hazen's DIVISIONS and Batteries B, First Michigan and First Iowa, reaching Leesburg just before night. A few rebel cavalry were stationed there as pickets; they, of course, scattered on our approach. Very early on the 25th we took up the line of march again to King's Hill. A small cavalry force opposed our advance for a few minutes, but fell back to their intrenched position at Blount's place, from the front of which the cavalry had returned position at Blount's place, from the front of which the cavalry had returned two days ago. The works were of very temporary character and only thinly manned. We hardly had commenced to deploy when they left their works under the fire of our skirmishers. The enemy had no infantry and no artillery at Blount's place, but the citizens and negroes assured us that his main force was