ively, by Captains Norwood and Root and Lieutenant Rogers, were thrown out as skirmishers, whereupon the line advanced. The enemy, being pressed, retired into his works. The regiment was then placed in the shelter of a neighboring ravine and the skirmishers closed in closely upon the enemy's rifle-pits and occupied the extreme right of the line of investment, reaching from the swampy ground bordering upon the Blakely River, thence up a steep bluff some seventy feet in height and out upon the tableland, in all about 300 yards. The enemy's works in front of this line consisted of slashing, both on the bluff side and on the plateau and extending to their main earth-works about 1,000 yards distant Midway in this slashing the enemy had a well-constructed line of rifle-pits in which his skirmishers were safely posted. Close about the main works was an abatis. The firing by the skirmishers was very accurate and heavy during the 2nd the enemy evidently having excellent sharpshooters posted. Notwithstanding their efforts, the companies of skirmishers, under the supervision of Colonel J. B. Jones, were posted and firmly held their position within close range of the enemy's pits. At 11 o'clock of that day First Lieutenant E. R. R. Talbot, of Company E, received a severe wound in the left side of the face, from the effects of which he died on the 5th instant. The other casualties of the day were eight enlisted men wounded. Throughout the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th the skirmish line thus established was continued in operation, being, however, from time to time advanced in places. On the night of the 5th a line of rifle-pits for our skirmishers was opened under direction of Colonel Jones and on the following night enlarged. On the night of the 7th these rifle-pits were opened out so as to connect, and on the following morning the regiment was moved into the trench thus made. Up to this time the line had suffered much annoyance from the enemy's gun boats, the Nashville and Huntsville, causing several injuries by concussion, the most severe case of which is that of Lieutenant George W. Buswell, Company K, on the 7th ; but on the afternoon of the 8th the gun-boats were driven away by the 30-pounder of Drew battery. Skirmishing continued on the 9th until 4.10 p.m. by this regiment, at which time the skirmishers were thrown forward to occupy the rifle-pits just being deserted by the enemy by reason of some movement of our troops some distance toward the left. The skirmishers had just reached the pits when the regiment was ordered to charge. Passing rapidly beyond the rifle-pits the men of the Seventy-sixth (also charging) and Sixty-eighth Regiments became mingled amid the slashing, and to avoid the severe fire of the enemy's artillery as well as to take advantage of the open pathway along the crest of the bluff, the greater portion of them gained ground to the right and on the bluff side. A few of the skirmishers pushed forward on the upper land, and occupying a somewhat covered place poured a steady fire into the enemy's embrasures, keeping the men from the guns and at the same time preventing any sally by the enemy upon our men on the bluff side, who had then reached a point within a few yards of the left of the enemy's parapet, and who, reduced to a few, and those greatly exhausted by their exertions in traversing the bluff side covered with slashing were unable to proceed farther without a supporting force. No such force appearing, after some time spent in waiting, and the enemy's gun-boats having got in range, they were ordered to fall back, and reached our line just in season to join in the general charge ordered at 5.30 p.m., by which in less than ten minutes the enemy's works were carried. In this charge Lieutenant Charles Manhardt, Company I, was killed; Captain George Geiger, Company C, received a wound from which he died in the night, and Colonel J.