fort covered by another on the hill about 400 yards west, in which were two 12-pounder brass guns. Four batteries opened on the first fort, soon silencing their guns, and General McArthur directed to take two brigades and carry the works by assault. Placing the First Brigade, Colonel W. L. McMillen, in advance, supported by the Second, Colonel L. F. Hubbard, commanding, the work was carried at a run. The cavalry on our right, at the same time charging directly under the guns of the rear fort on the hill, entered the first fort simultaneously with our skirmishers. The guns in the fort were all captured and about 150 prisoners. The cavalry claimed the guns as their capture, and more for their gallant charge than because they were entitled to the pieces, they were conceded to them. The First and Second Brigades of McArthur's division, obliquing to the right without stopping, carried the second fort, capturing the two guns and about 200 prisoners, the First Brigade moving directly to the top of the hill, and the Second flanking it on the left. During the assault upon these two forts the Twenty-third Corps passed in my rear by the flank to my right, and by the time the forts were taken had formed on my right. Advancing Colonel Ward's brigade, of the Third Division, to fill the gap caused by teh oblique movement of Colonels McMillen's and Hubbard's brigades, in the charge of the second fort upon the hill, the line again advanced, skirmishing heavily along its whole extent. A small earth-work containing two guns on a hill in front of Colonel Hill's (Third) brigade, of McArthur's division, was carried by that brigade in gallant style, capturing the guns and many prisoners, the skirmishers from the Second Division entering at the same time from the east. On entering this work Colonel S. G. Hill, Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, was unfortunately struck in the forehead by a musket-ball and died almost instantly. In consequence, the guns and prisoners were not properly taken care of and turned over, but were taken possession of by other troops, and the brigade did not get the credit which it justly deserves. At the same time Colonel E. H. Wolfe's (Third) brigade, of the Second Division, crossed the Hillsborough pike and carried the earth-works on the hill immediately to the left of that pike, capturing two guns in the fort and one more a short distance from it, which the enemy were endeavoring to take away.

At the time these last two assaults were made, which were almost perpendicular to the Hillsborough pike, the Fourth Corps charged, parallel with the pike, the works in their front, thereby crowding out the First and Second Brigades of the Second Division, the enemy's works at that point making nearly a right angle with the salient angle in front of the right of the Fourth Corps and the left of my command. I therefore passed the First and Second Brigade, Second Division, by the right flank, to the right an rear of Third Brigade, same division, and directed them to form on the right of that brigade. The Fourth Corps also took possession of the guns passed over by Colonel Wolfe. In the meantime the First Division and the brigade of the Third, advancing on the right, drove the enemy across the Hillsborough pike, dislodging them from the stone walls on either side, capturing 2 pieces of artillery, a large number of prisoners, and about 1,000 muskets. Night coming on, the troops bivouacked in line of battle. During the night, a request coming from General Schofield, commanding Twenty-third Corps, for re-enforcements, I sent him the Third Division, Colonel J. B. Moore commanding, just before daylight.

On the morning of the 16th, advancing my lines in the same order as on the previous day, the First on the right and the Second Division