from the cross-road church at 8 a. m. of the 30th ultimo, having the advance of the line. After advancing some 250 yards the cavalry reported the rebels in our front with artillery. By order of General Potter the regiment was deployed on the right and left of the road as skirmishers. The rebel pickets were met at about 400 yards and firing began. The Thirty-second Colored and One hundred and forty-fourth New York Volunteers reported to me as supports to our skirmish line.

The right wing of the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers had already deployed over to Lieutenant Colonel Stewart L. Woodford and took charge of the skirmishers and supports as above. The latter were on the right of the road. The rebels fired the woods and dry grass in front of their artillery, and our line had to advance through and around the flames.

Our artillery now coming into position on the road shelled the rebels' gun or guns back, and my command came into the road. I went forward to the new skirmish line, which was immediately thrown out. This line advanced with part of the Fifty-sixth New York Volunteers at the front, and the One hundred and forty-fourth New York Volunteers on the right of the road, and the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Volunteers as the left. The rebel artillery had taken up a new position, and was shortly encountered again. Our artillery again shelled them back and our infantry moved up. The skirmish line on the left of the road met the rebel line, and fell back upon the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Volunteers as a support. The action now opened on the left. The One hundred and forty-fourth New York Volunteers encountered the rebels on the right of the road, and the fight began there at the same moment. The heads of these two regiments pressed on to the cross-roads that turned into the rebel fort, and then other regiments moved up, as did the artillery, and the fighting became General. The One hundred and twenty-seventh held the left center in front of the fort, the right of the regiment resting on the road. It was immediately formed into line of battle facing the fort and forced the rebel line back some 200 yards, when it halted and held its ground. I still exercised my provisional command at the center of the front until the new and general disposition of the troops was made by General Potter, who was immediately at the front. Part of the Thirty-fifth U. S. Colored Troops came over to the left of the road, in front of the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Volunteers, but were immediately moved back on the road to the right of our regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Woodford reported to General Potter that he would charge the front of the works with our regiment, if a simultaneous charge could be made on the road to his right. The Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers immediately came up and charged. Colonel Hartwell was wounded just at the head of the cross road as he formed his men for the charge. Captain Gouraud, aide-de-camp, brought the order for the charge. Colonel Hartwell and Captain Gouraud told me to take the Fifty-fifth in, but the terrible fire half the regiment in check, and this attempt was unsuccessful. Colonel Hartwell, although wounded, took the head of his regiment again and led them in. They met a heavy fire both in front and flank, and Colonel Hartwell was again wounded in two places. We got around the corner of the road, but the troops were then forced back.

Colonel Woodford reports that the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Volunteers charged forward at nearly a right angle with the advance of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, crossing a creek and advancing into the marsh at the front of the fort until they came within 70