exposed. Apprehensive that the enemy, instead of retreating during the night, would mass and attack our right in the morning, I requested that a division of infantry be sent to re-enforce the right, which was ordered accordingly from Major-General Smith's command. In response to this order General Smith sent five regiments and a battery [about 1,600 men],which were put in reserve near the right. In the morning it was found that the enemy still held his position in our front, of which the hill in front of General Couch was the key, and had thrown up considerable breast-works during the night. He had also increased the force on his left during the night, and continued to mass troops there during the early part of the day. During the morning, therefore, our operations were limited to preparations for defense and co-operation with the cavalry, which was operating to strike the Granny White pike in rear of the enemy. About noon the troops on my left [Generals Smith and Wood] having advanced and come in contact with the enemy in his new position, the enemy again withdrew from his left a considerable force to strengthen his right and center, when I ordered General Cox to advance in conjunction with the cavalry, and endeavor to carry a high wooded hill beyond the flank of the enemy's entrenched line, and overlooking the Granny White pike. The hill was occupied by the enemy in considerable force, but was not entrenched. My order was not executed with the promptness or energy which I had expected, yet, probably, with as much as I had reason to expect, considering the attenuated character of General Cox's line and the great distance and rough ground over which the attacking force had to move. The hill was, however, carried by General Wilson's cavalry [dismounted] whose gallantry and energy on that and other occasions, which came under my observation, cannot be too greatly praised.

Almost simultaneously with this attack on the extreme right the salient hill in front of General Couch was attacked and carried by General Smith's troops, supported by a brigade of General Couch's division, and the fortified hill in front of General Cox, which constituted the extreme flank of the enemy's entrenched line, was attacked and carried by Colonel Doolittle's brigade of General Cox's division, the latter capturing 8 pieces of artillery and 200 to 300 prisoners. These several successes, gained almost simultaneously, resulted in a complete rout of the enemy. The cavalry had cut off his line of retreat by the Granny White pike, and such of his troops as were not captured on the line could only escape by climbing the Brentwood Hills. It is believed all of the artillery along the left and center of the enemy's line fell into our hands. Our troops continued the pursuit across the valley and into the Brentwood Hills, when darkness compelled them to desist, and they bivouacked for the night.

During the operations of the 15th and 16th our troops behaved with their accustomed gallantry and even more than their ordinary enthusiasm, attacking almost inaccessible heights, crowned by breast-works and covered by numerous artillery, with a confidence which presented a most striking contrast to the feeble and spiritless resistance offered by the already demoralized enemy.

The losses of the Twenty-third Corps during the 15th and 16th amounted to only 9 killed, 154 wounded, and none missing.*

The division and brigade commanders displayed their usual high qualities of gallantry and skill. Brigadier General J. A. Cooper, commanding First Brigade, Second Division, is specially worthy of mention for gallantry in leading the assault on the 15th.

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*But see revised table, p.100.

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