At daylight on the 28th Davis' corps moved from its encampment near Holbrook's house to Mount Gilead Church, thence past the left of Stanely's corps, taking the road leading from Redwine's house to Red Oak, on the West Point railroad. Davis reached the railroad at 4 p. m. and posted his corps on the right of it facing toward East Point. Stanely's command came up immediately after Davis' and formed line of the left of the road. In this position the command remained for the night.

Shortly after dark orders were issued to destroy the road by burning the ties and twisting the rails after heating. The work of destruction was continued throughout the night of the 28th and during part of the 29th, and when completed the railroad had been thoroughly dismantled for a distance of two miles north of my line and a little over a mile south of it.

About 6 a. m. on the 30th the Fourteenth and Fourth Corps moved from Red Oak toward the Macon railroad. The Fourteenth Corps (Davis') concentrated at Flat Shoal Church about 9 a. m., and after resting for an hour moved on in an easterly direction toward Couch's house, on the Decatur and Fayetteville road, at which point lien was formed, and the command went into camp. Communication was opened with the Army of the Tennessee at Renfroe's house, two miles south of Couch's. The Fourth Corps forme don the left of the Fourteenth, its left extending beyond Mann's house, the line of the corps running in a northwesterly direction from Couch's. The advanced divisions of both corps skirmished with the enemy's infantry and cavalry during the day, and by sundown it was ascertained that the enemy was in force at Morrow's Mill, on Crooked Creek, about three-fourths of a mile distant from the left of Stanley's corps. Up to dark no communication had been established with the Army of the Ohio. Garrard's cavalry was in the neighborhood of Red Oak guarding the left and rear of the army.

On the morning of the 31st Stanely's corps moved to Morrow's Mill, where it found the enemy in intrenchments very well finished, but occupied only by dismounted cavalry. These were driven out. The Army of the Ohio having come up, both commands pushed out for the railroad, which was reached at the Big Bend, between Rough and Ready and Jonesborough. General Stanely posted his corps between the railroad and Crooked Creek, and in that position remained for the night. Part of the Fourteenth Corps, under Brigadier-General Baird, made a reconnaissance and demonstration in front of Couch's house and reached the Macon and Western Railroad about two miles north of Jonesborough with the advance brigade, and destroyed about one mile of the track during the afternoon and night, although constantly annoyed by the enemy's cavalry. While in this position a heavy column of the enemy's infantry was seen moving in a southerly direction on a road still to the eastward of the one them held by them. Some stragglers belonging to this column were picked up by our skirmishers, and from them it was ascertained that the troops we saw moving were Hardee' and Lee's corps. Up to this period the enemy had evidently been deceived as to the nature and strength of our movement on his communications, and only at this late hour had he detached any considerable force from the army in Atlanta. During the afternoon of the 31st, the Army of the Tennessee being heavily attacked in the position it had taken up the night before near Jonesborough, and General Howard having asked