IV. As soon as General Kimball's division has passed out of the works, by the Hillsborough pike, General Beatty, commanding Third Division, will take up the movement, drawing out by his left, and will form in echelon to General Kimball's left. He will maintain this position and advance with General Kimball; he will also leave a strong line of skirmishers behind the solid works along his present position.

V. The pickets on post, being strengthened when int he judgment of division commanders it becomes necessary, will advance as a line of skirmishers to cover the movement. The formation of the troops will be in two lines-the front line deployed, the second line in close column by division, massed opposite the interval in the front line. Each division commander will, so far as possible, hold one brigade in reserve. Five wagon-loads of ammunition, ten ambulances,a nd the wagons loaded with the entrenching tools, will, as nearly as possible, follow immediately after each division; inside of our present lines until further orders. One rifle battery will accompany the Second Division, and one battery of light 12-pounders will accompany each of the other divisions; the rest of the artillery of the corps will maintain its present position in the lines.

By order of Brigadier General T. J. Wood:

J. S. FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

The morning of the 15th was dark and somber; a heavy fall of fog and smoke rested on the face of the earth and enveloped every object in darkness. At 6 a. m. the movement of the troops was entirely impracticable, but between 7 and 8 a. m. the fog began to rise, and the troops silently and rapidly commenced to move into the positions assigned to them. This preliminary work being completed, nothing further remained for the Fourth Corps to do until the cavalry and General Smith had made the long swing from our right which was necessary to bring them ont he left and rear of the enemy's position. At 12.30 p. m., General Smith having swung up his right so that his command prolonged the front of the Fourth corps, the serried ranks of the corps began to advance toward the enemy's entrenched position.

I should have remarked previously that as soon as the troops began to debouch from our entrenched lines the skirmishers were pushed forward to cover the movement, and soon became sharply engaged with the enemy's skirmishers and rapidly drove them back. During all the preliminary movements an occasional shot, as the shells hurled through the air and burs over the troops from the enemy's batteries, added interest to the scene and showed that he was keenly watching our operations. When the grand array of the troops began to move forward in unison the pageant was magnificently grand and imposing. Far as the eye could reach the lines and masses of blue, over which the nation's emblem flaunted proudly, moved forward in such perfect order that the heart of the patriot might easily draw from it the happy presage of the coming glorious victory. A few minutes after 12.30 p. m. I deemed the moment favorable for the attack ont he left and rear of Montgomery's Hill. Montgomery's Hill is an irregularly cone-shaped eminence, which rises some 150 feet above the general level of the country. The ascent to it summit throughout most of its circumference is quite abrupt, and its sides are covered with forest trees. The enemy had encircled the hill just bellow its crest with a strong line of entrenchments, and embarrassed the approach of an assaulting force with an abatis and rows of sharpened stakes firmly planted in the ground. The hill was the enemy's most advanced position, and was not more than 800 yards from our lines. The ascent on the left and rear of the hill, taken with reference to the enemy's occupation, is more gradual than the portion which directly confronted our entrenchments. As our troops advanced and swung to the left, the left of th hill was brought directly in front of the Third Division of the corps. This disposition was favorable to the assault. I ordered Brigadier-General Beatty,