To the left of this work a rifle trench extended some distance, running down the slope of the ridge next to the river and extending through a piece of woods on the left to the river bank. The whole of this rifle trench, in front of the bridge and for some distance to the left, was in full view of the bridge and in short musket range of it, so that the enemy coming up to the trench could command the bridge and make use of the embankment as a protection. For a good portion of the rifle trench on the left, it was so far down the slope that the enemy might get within very short musket range before he could be seen by our men in the trenches. There was no ditch on the outside of the work. On the right the railroad embankment afforded a safe cover for the approach of the enemy to within a short distance of the work, and through this was a passway for a road which would enable a force coming under its cover to debouch suddenly upon the works at a very assailable point, and there had been no effort made to obstruct this passway. To remedy the danger afforded by the cover of the railroad embankment, pits for guns on the south of the river had been constructed, but they were not occupied. In the rear of the whole line of the work a dam made the river too deep for fording, and one solitary pontoon bridge afforded the only means of communication with the southern bank and the only avenue of escape in case of disaster.

I am thus particular in describing the character of these works, in other that the difficulties under which a part of my command labored in the strait to which it was subsequently reduced may be appreciated. I had myself pointed out some of the defects of the works to the engineers having charge of them, and I had urged the necessity of having another bridge father up the stream.

The fact is in my opinion, the position was susceptible of being made very strong, but in order to enable a small force to hold it against a large attacking force, the works ought to have been entirely inclosed and with a deep ditch on the outside, so that an attacking column could have had its progress checked; but the works were so constructed as to afford no obstacle in themselves to an attacking enemy, and only furnished a temporary protection to our troops. An attacking force could walk over the rifle trenches without difficulty, and even the works in which the guns were posted could be readily passed over when once reached. On the south side of the river were two hills immediately in rear of our works -one crowned with a redoubt constructed by the enemy, which had been remodeled and turned; the other was crowned with sunken pits for guns. In the first I found Graham's battery, and in the latter Dance's battery, both of Brown's battalion. Besides these works there were two pits for guns in the flat on the right of the railroad, constructed for posting guns for the purpose of enfilading the east side of the railroad embankment on the north of the river.

These pits, which were not occupied, had attached to them a short rifle trench, and farther to the right was another rifle trench covering the point at which the enemy had had a pontoon bridge. This presents the state of things as I found them, and I must here state that the defense of this position had not been instructed to me. I had merely been called upon to furnish a detail for picket duty, alternating with both the other divisions of the corps for some time, and latterly with Johnson's only. I hurried to the spot myself and observed my command to follow, because I regarded my brigade in danger, and I doubted not I was but anticipated the order which