left flank of the enemy and partially in his rear. This force advanced, taking the enemy by surprise, and forcing him back a short distance. A brigade in this position would have swept him from the works and captured those of his troops who were in great confusion in the railroad cut, but the force was too small. This was the position of affairs at dark. With the exception of the loss of our artillery, our loss had been very slight. I established a picket-line along the road parallel with the railroad, near the church. In going to the front I could hear the enemy's men calling out their regiments, and I felt confident his loss was much heavier than ours, that his confusion was equal, and that I could retake all my line. I sent by Captain Driver, assistant adjutant-general, to Major-General Hancock information of the state of affairs. At 8 o'clock I received orders from General Hancock, by Captain Conrad, to withdraw and march to the Williams house on the Jerusalem plank road.

I am much indebted to the officers of my staff. Captain Driver, assistant adjutant-general, behaved gallantly in rallying the men. Lieutenant Black, acting aide-de-camp, was fearless in his endeavor to press the men forward again after they had broken. Captain Marlin, division inspector, rendered efficient service. Captain Hizar, assistant commissary of musters, and Lieutenant Binney, acting aide-de-camp, were wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

NELSON A. MILES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Captain W. P. WILSON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS,
October 30, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division during the recent movements:

Reports of signal stations, pickets, and officers on the line indicated that the enemy had left a force in his works smaller than my own. To determine his strength, I directed demonstrations on two points of his lines-namely, a work opposite Fort Morton near the Crater, and his picket-line opposite Fort Sedgwick. Just at dark 100 men of the One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania, under command of Captain J. Z. Brown, went over our work in front of Fort Morton, across the space, about forty paces to the enemy's work, cutting through his cheval-defrise with axes, and into the work. No shots were fire from this point, but a sharp fire was opened with musketry on the right and left. Arriving in the work, the enemy's troops left it, with the exception of 4 officers and 13 enlisted men, who were taken prisoners. Among them were the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and one lieutenant of the Forty-sixth Virginia, and a lieutenant of the Thirty-fourth Virginia. A regiment of the enemy, who had entered a work on the enemy's right of the one thus occupied, immediately charged into it and, by force of superior numbers, our men were driven out, fighting gallantly. Supports were on their way, but could not reach them before they had been driven out. About 8.30 p.m. a party of 130 men, under Lieutenant Colonel D. F. Burke, Eighty-eighth New York, charged the enemy's picket-line at the Chimneys opposite Fort Sedgwick. The line for about 200 yards was carried, and eight prisoners taken. Not considering the point of sufficient