your command in position in our works at a very early hour to-morrow morning. You will therefore withdraw them as directed in a previous order, after making suitable arrangemets for your wounded and giving sufficient time for your men to recover from the fatigue incident to an ingagement. The major-general expects information here from the column advancing from Clinton, and if anything of a serious nature occurs he will meet you in person to aid you in giving proper directions to your command.

T[HOMAS] H[ARDEMAN], Jr.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[44.]

Report of Brigadier General Pleasant J. Philips, commanding Second Brigade, Georgia Militia, of engagement at Griswoldville November 22.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, Georgia MILITIA,
December 8, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the four brigades under my command on the 22nd of November last:

The command left East Macon at about 8 a. m. and arrived without incident at 12 or 1 o'clock within about one mile of Griswoldville, where I found the Athens and Augusta battalion (under command of Major Cook) drawn up in line of battle. I also met a number of cavalry at and near this point, all of whom informed me that the enemy was in Griswoldville and had been engaged with some of our cavalry. He was repesented to be about 800 or 1,200 strong. I formed a line of battle, with General Anderson's brigade on the right, the Athens and Augusta battalions on his immediate left, and Brigadier-General McCoy's brigade on the left of the line. The Second Brigade, under Colonel Mann, was formed in the rear as a reserve. The State Line, under Lieutenant-Colonel Evans, was deployed as skirmishers and advanced on Griswoldville, where the enemy had just burnt some buildings and retired before we arrived, of which facts I informed the major-general commanding about 2 p. m. Whilst in Griswoldville Major Cook withdrew the Athens and Augusta battalions from the lien, informing me that he was ordered by Lieutenant-General Hardee to proceed to Augusta, and proceed down the Central railroad. I soon ordered the command to move down the Central railroad until it should clear the village, and halt to await further orders form Major-General Smith. The rear of the column had not cleared the village when firing of small-arms was heard some half a mile in advance of our column, which was between the advance and rear guards of Major Cook and the enemy. I ordered an advance of the command, and on arriving I met Major Cook, who pointed out to me the enemy posted on the opposite eminence in line of battle behind some temporary intrenchments and fortifications. Major Cook's skirmishers were then engaged with the enemy on his left. I disposed of the forces represented by the accompanying diagram,* viz: The Athens and Augusta battalions on our right (owing to the position they then held), making rather an obtuse angle, with the State Line on their left, and General McCoy's brigade on the left of the State Line, General McCoy's left

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* Not found.

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