Fort Taylor. -The angles of its embrasures being the same as angles between its faces, it has a continuous fire from Fort Nelson on the left to salient of infantry intrenchment on its right. Its barrette, like those of Nelson and Jackson, is protected by melons of gabions from sharpshooters. These are so arranged as not to interfere with fire in all directions. Between Forts Taylor and McKee the infantry line was extended to the front to enfilade a hollow road. An embrasure was ent in it for this purpose, and a barrette platform laid in the salient to protect the front of Fort McKee. Its own faces are enfilades by fire from embrasure guns in Taylor and McKee, while the elevated field in front of it (point C) is under fire from 3 guns in Fort Nelson, 3 in Jackson, 3 in Pope, 5 in Taylor, and 4 in McKee, 18 in all -the salient being exposed has a good ditch and fraise in front of it.

Fort Mckee sweeps hill-side to the front and enfilades abatis line on each side of it and in front of infantry intrenchment.

Fort Jones forms the right flank of the line, and commands bridge over Hickman Creek, as well as roads and fords in the vicinity. It being of great importance to hold this position, and the hills across Hickman Creek looking down into it, the parapet was made 10 feet high inside, and the embrasures covered over as shown in plan. The site sloped toward the enemy. To diminish earth-work in defiling an offset of 4 feet was made in the level of the crest line, and a traverse built across the fort; in this magazine was put, and a postern built, connecting upper and lower parts of the fort. This serves also as a bomb-proof. The work is surrounded by a brush fraise in scarp, a good ditch and glaces; a banquette in the ditch increases the amount of infantry fire it can employ.

To the richt of Fort Jones the bank of the creek is a vertical limestone cliff 100 to 150 feet high. An infantry intrenchment has been made on the edge of this cliff, just beyond Jones, to sweep the approach to the forts and the roads and fords near bridge over creek. The points which would probably be selected by an enemy for batteries for an attack are D, E. A, and C. The ranges to them from the different works are given on the plan. They might approach under the river-bank near Battery Hatch unless the proposed work is made, and would certainly take advantage of the ravine in front without a work on point A. All the timber for 1,500 yards to the front has been cleared, excepting a narrow strip in front of the infantry intrenchments, between Forts McKee and Jones, left to mask the line from the hills across Hickman.

DETACHED WORKS ALONG HICKMAN CREEK.

Battery Studdiford. -This commands the approaches to Fort Jones, whether by the bridge or fording the creek, and the ford and mouth of the valley at foot of corral slope. Its fire in both directions is very valuable, and it is itself inaccessible, being on the edge of a vertical cliff, which extends from Fort Jones to a little past this battery, there then commences a steep slope which for the distance of 300 yards can with difficulty be ascended. This slope is protected partly by fire from Battery Studdiford, but principally by fire from battery for field guns at point F.

Corral Works. -Between the last-mentioned slope and the corral the cliff is inaccessible. The corral itself is a good, smooth slope, averaging 1 in 6, in places practicable for artillery. The opposite bank, however, is inaccessible except at points G, H, and I. The defensive works consist of a battery at F, and detached infantry intrenchments, as shown on the map. At point J a batter is proposed to enfilade road and protect ford over creek, as well as sweep hill-side in front of infantry intrenchment. Point K is a good position for a field battery to command hollow across creek and enfilade valley and military road leading to Bramlette. From point J to point L the cliff is inaccessible. At point L a battery has been built on the turnpike which enfilades the ford, valley, and turnpike across the Kentucky River. The enemy might attempt by batteries at the points M N O to silence these guns. Anticipating this, at point P an opening has been made in the trees on top of the hill being point L, where heavy rifled guns from the main line could be brought, forming a masked battery to open after the enemy's guns were in position. This point has a good fire on the corral slope also, and on the rear of Fort Bramlette should that be taken. Below point L a small infantry intrenchment has been made, protecting the ford. Similar lines have been made, as shown on the map, on Boone's Knob. The stone mill near the bridge has been loop- holed. Abatis have been arranged at points K and Q across the river, the former to detain the enemy under fire from battery at L, and the latter to protect the guard at the bridge from any sudden surprise at night. Below the bridge the river is not fordable. Excepting near point S the cliffs on our side [are] accessible, but those across the river are too steep to descend until we reach the mouth of Aldridge's Spring Branch. From this down the cliffs on our side are vertical and the opposite side sloping. The universal rule is that the bank on the concave side of the stream is more or less accessible and on the converse side vertical. At point S a battery should be build commanding bridge, enfilading main turnpike across the river, and old turnpike leading up hill-side on this bank, as well as commanding point across the river, a ravine the enemy might descend. Riflemen should