our superior glasses. When the Second Division was sent to reduce Fort McAllister, I, with Lieutenant Adams and ten men, went with it, and, taking the advance, charged over torpedoes in the road and captured the picket. While the lines were being formed around the fort we opened communication across the river to a point where General Sherman was, and received through signals his order for the assault, our station being at the time so near as to be under fire that we might be near General Hazen. When the fort was taken we immediately moved to it, and soon munication with the fleet, which was kept up whenever vessels were near us.

December 16, I returned to headquarters of the corps, Lieutenant Weirick taking my place at the fort; and two days afterward I and Lieutenant Shellabarger opened signal communication through from headquarters to the fort, passing a number of important messages, and continuing the line until a day after the fall of Savannah, when it was relieved by order of General Sherman. We then came to the city. On the 24th I was placed in charge of officers of the Seventeenth Corps, and ordered to open communication from the city to Fort McAllister, connecting with the telegraph at Rosedew, which I succeeded in accomplishing the following day. On the 28th Lieutenants Shellabarger and Adams established a signal station on the tower in the river below Fort Jackson, thereby opening communication from the city to Fort Pulaski and Hilton Head, which post they still occupy.

It is but just to say that the officers and men of this detachment have done their duty well and nobly, nor have there been wanting instances of personal bravery well worthy of commendation.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. SHERFY,

First Lieutenant, Signal Corps, Commanding Detachment.

Captain H. N. WHEELER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifteenth Army Corps.

Numbers 13. Reports of Brigadier General Charles R. Woods, U. S. Army, commanding First Division. HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Massey's Farm, Ga., November 23, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that the affair of yesterday at Duncan's farm, near Griswold, was of greater magnitude than was at first supposed.

Early in the morning I received orders from Major General P. J. Osterhaus, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, to take up a strong defensive position near the church, and with one brigade to make a demonstration in the direction of Macon. I selected the Second Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General C. C. Walcutt, composed of the following regiments: Fortieth Illinois Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel H. W. Hall commanding, 206 enlisted men; Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel I. N. Alexander commanding, 218 enlisted men: One hundred and third Illinois Infantry, Major A. Willison commanding, 219 enlisted men; Sixth Iowa Infantry, Major W. H. Clune commanding, 177 enlisted men; Ninety-seventh Indiana Infantry, Colonel R. F. Cattarson commanding, 366 enlisted men;

7 R R-VOL XLIV.