that by fronting each brigade a column of brigades would be formed, and that we might be in hand to support the lines engaged close in rear of which we were moving.

After crossing the Hillsborough pike, facing eastwardly, and passing the first range of hills, we came up in rear of General Couch's (Second) division, of this corps, who, with the dismounted cavalry, was engaged with the enemy upon a somewhat low, round-topped hill, one of two overlooking the Granny White pike, and immediately north of a high conical hill held by the left flank of the enemy's forces. I here received orders from the major-general commanding to support General Couch, and accordingly formed the First and Second Brigades (Doolittle's and Casement's) in double line each, Doolittle on the right and advanced them into the valley in our front. Stiles' brigade (Third) was pushed to the right upon the crest of a very high rocky ridge commanding the ground beyond the right of the brigades advanced, and the battery was halted upon the hill last crossed. At about 4 p.m. General Couch reported a considerable force of the enemy passing toward his right and threatening the flank of Mehringer's brigade of his division, which was detached some 600 yards from the right of the line. I immediately advanced Doolittle's brigade to the right and Casement's to the left of Mehringer's command, swinging the right forward to occupy a subordinate ridge in the angle of high hills (see sketch accompanying) skirting our right flank. A sharp attack was here made by the enemy, which was repulsed, the fighting, however, lasting until dark. Soon after dark General Couch withdrew Mehringer's brigade from the position referred to above, and deeming it very important to hold the line occupied, I ordered the two brigades to be deployed in single line and to throw up breast-works along the ridge they held, which formed a crochet, advanced nearly at right angles to the line of Couch's division, threatening the enemy's flank and facilitating further movements by the right around the connected chain of hills, of which Stiles' brigade occupied the first prominent one. Stiles was also ordered to intrench the hill held by him, and owing to the valley (a very soft corn-field intersected by a brook) being impassable for artillery, the battery was put in position on the continuation to the left of the ridge occupied by Stiles' brigade. The positions were inspected and approved by the major-general commanding, and I received orders to be prepared offensive movements at daylight.

At about 3 a.m. of the 16th I received notice from General Couch that in closing up his lines to the left a gap of some 300 yards was opened between his position and mine at the base of the hill last carried on the evening previous. At the same time I received a dispatch from the major-general commanding stating that a division from General A. J. Smith's command would report before daylight to support me. I therefore ordered one regiment (Sixty-fifth [Sixty-third?] Indiana) of Stiles' brigade to be withdrawn from the position occupied by that brigade and put in on the right of General Couch, connecting with and extending the line of the Second Division, entrenching there, and leaving whatever gap might remain in the low ground at the angle of the two lines. This was done before daylight.

At 6 a.m. Colonel Moore reported with five regiments and a battery of the Seventeenth Corps, numbering in all about 1,600 men. I directed three regiments to relieve Stiles' brigade in the works constructed by them during the night, and the remaining two, with the artillery, to be held in reserve on the ridge farther to the left, where my own battery had been left. I then ordered Colonel Stiles to push his brigade forward and occupy the next of the series of hills beyond our right and