Slocum to detach the First Division (Ruger's) and Lockwood's brigade to support the left wing of the army, then heavily attacked. Geary's division was at the same time ordered to cover and defend the intrenched line of the whole corps. I marched with the supporting detachment with all possible dispatch, under a severe artillery fire, following as nearly as possible the direction of the heavy firing. When near the position occupied originally by the Second Corps, as I was informed, Major McGilvery, of the Maine artillery (attached to the Artillery Reserve), reported to me that his battery was without support, and threatened by the enemy's infantry in the woods in front, to which it had just retired, carrying several pieces of our guns. I ordered General Lockwood, whose brigade was in advance, to deploy his line and occupy the woods, which he did in gallant style, pushing a considerable distance to the front, and recapturing three pieces of artillery abandoned by the enemy in his retreat. Ruger, with the First Division, in the meantime occupied the woods on the left of Lockwood, and pushed forward in two lines, the enemy retiring with but little resistance. It was now quite dark. I therefore ordered both commands to halt for further instructions, and soon after, in compliance with orders from Major-General Slocum, directed them to return to their original position in the breastworks. Soon after Ruger's and Lockwood's commands had moved out in support, General Geary, by direct orders from Major-/General Slocum, was directed to follow with two brigades, leaving Greene's brigade, of his division, to hold the breastworks. By some mistake, Geary took the road toward Littlestown, and did not join the supporting party. He took up a position on the south side of Rock Creek, from which he was recalled during the night. General Greene, in attempting to extend his brigade to occupy the entire line of breastworks, after the withdrawal of the rest of the corps, found that the enemy had already seized upon and occupied in strong force the right of the line, from which he attacked Greene's brigade with great vigor. Fortunately, this brigade occupied a portion of the breastworks, which, turning at almost right angles to the line on the right, ascended a broken and rocky slope toward our left, and presented a steep wall of rock toward the enemy. A narrow space between the angle of the breastworks and the open field toward, the Baltimore poke was densely wooded and full of large rocks and boulders. General Greene seized with skill and judgment the advantages of this position, and held it with his small brigade against overwhelming numbers with signal gallantry and determination. At length, after three hours' night conflict, having been re-enforced by detachments from the First and Eleventh Corps, and subsequently by Kane's brigade returning to its position, General Greene succeeded in repulsing the enemy from his immediate front. This gallant officer merits especial mention for the faithful and able manner in which he conducted this defense, and protected, under difficult circumstances, a most important part of our line. The First Division (Ruger's) and Lockwood's brigade reached the open fields behind our breastworks on their return from the left about the time the attacks on Greene were discontinued. General Ruger pushed his skirmishers into the Woods, and found the whole of his original intrenched line, as well as the stone fence, held in force by the enemy. Apprehensive of the mishaps and confusion of a night attack upon such concealed positions, he withdrew his regiments, and