I had been previously directed from time to time to furnish fatigue parties to work on some detached inclosed works, being constructed under the supervision of engineer officers of the corps, on a range of high points, whose general direction was nearly that of the Hillsborough pike, running back in rear of the left of the line. Lieutenant-General Stewart informed me that it was the design of the general commanding, in the event of attack, to man these works which detachments of 100 men, with artillery, to resist any effort that might be made to turn the left flank of the army. Between some of these points there were considerable intervals; in one case as much as 1,200 yards or more. Soon after my command was withdrawn from the main line it became evident that the enemy were preparing for attack in heavy force, and I received orders from the lieutenant-general commanding to man the two redoubts farthest from the main line, putting two pieces of artillery in that on the extreme left, there being four, under Captain Lumsden, already in the other. He further directed me to put my troops in position behind a stone fence along the Hillsborough pike, and to instruct the officers commanding in the redoubts to hold their position at all hazards. One hundred men from Quarles brigade were ordered into the redoubts on the extreme left and a like number from Cantey's into the other. When my command got into position it stood at right angles to the main line of the army, with Brigadier-General Reynolds on the right, Brigadier-General Shelley on the left, and the center Quarles' brigade, commanded by Brigadier General George D. Johnston, who, after its proper commander had been disabled, had been assigned to it by my request. Between my right and Loring's division was Sears' brigade, of French's division. The left of my line was nearly opposite and several hundred yards in rear of the hill where Lumsden's battery was posted. I had no artillery on the line, as all of Major Trueheart's battalion, which had been serving with my command, except the six pieces in the redoubts, it had been found necessary to post at other points when guns were needed on the main line. Soon after my command was in position Lieutenant-General Stewart notified me that Colonel D. Coleman, commanding Ector's brigade, of French's division, which had been supporting the cavalry on the left of the infantry line, had been ordered to report to me. I dispatched a staff officer to notify him of my whereabouts, and on his arrival put him in position on my left. About 11 o'clock the enemy, exposing a large force in my front, concentrated a heavy artillery fire on the redoubt in front of my left, and after keeping it up for about an hour, with great damage to the force within, moved upon it with a heavy body of infantry, enveloped the base of the hill, and by assault carried the position, which was well defended. Information having reached me that a force was moving up the Hillsborough pike, I communicated it to Lieutenant-General Stewart, who was near me at the moment, and, under his orders, Ector's brigade was sent down near Compton's house to hold the pike for the protection of my left flank. In a few moments after the first redoubt was taken the force in the second was overwhelmed by the enemy's infantry, and Ector's brigade, in position on the pike in its rear, was forced to withdraw. In doing so, a body of the enemy being now between it and the left of Cantey's brigade, it was cut off from my command, and posted, by order of General Hood, on a hill some distance to my left, which the enemy late in the day made an ineffectual effort to carry. When these redoubts were taken the enemy moved up in my front and shelled my troops heavily. He made no assault on my position, but threw a force across the pike into the woods near Compton's