rick's command. During the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st demonstrations were constantly kept up against the enemy's position, to favor the movements of Kilpatrick. By the display of troops, exhibition of flags in new places, and by strong reconnaissances pushed south of the Decatur road the enemy were impressed with the belief that we had extended our lines to the left, and considerable change was made in his disposition of troops to meet us. These demonstrations, always resulting in severe skirmishes, were not without some loss to us, but our men never failed to drive the enemy into his main works. On the night of the 25th the movement of withdrawal, directed to have taken place on the 18th, was successfully carried out, and the troops quietly withdrew from the left at night-fall. The pickets, under charge of Colonel Bennett, Seventy-fifth Illinois, came away so secretly that the enemy continued firing all night, only discovering our absence at daybreak. One surgeon, 1 captain, and 2 privates were captured by the enemy, the result of their own inexcusable straggling. The rear guard of the last division (Newton's) reached Protect's Creek at 3 in the morning. The corps was formed in line at this point. The enemy's skirmishers followed and engaged ours about 8 a. m. on the 26th. After waiting an hour and finding that we were followed only by a skirmish line of corps was put in motion, General Kimball's division, west of Proctor's Creek, covering the movement. About the time the troops were stretched out on the road the attack upon our pickets became more serious, and General Kimball had to send two regiments, which had just gotten in position behind an old breast-work when the rebel skirmish line charged. They received a volley which dispersed them, and our rear came away without any further molestation. They day was exceedingly sultry, and the most trying upon the men of any during the campaign. The corps, however, made a good march, crossing Utoy Creek and taking position in line of battle, facing east, in the vicinity of Utoy Post-Office. On the 27th we moved by a road leading south and took position at Mount Gilead Church, forming line facing nearly south. The enemy's pickets were just in front of us at this place. They fired a few shots from artillery at our pickets. On the 28th the corps moved to the vicinity of Red Oak, on the West Point railroad, following the Fourteenth Corps, the artillery and trains following a parallel road to the west of the one used by us. We encamped for the night in line of battle, facing east.

On the 29th General Wood, with two brigades of his division and Taylor's brigade, of Kimball's division, co-operated with the Fourteenth Corps in the destruction of the West Point railroad; the road was thoroughly destroyed to a point three and a half miles from East Point. On the 30th moved by Ballard's to Mrs. Longs', on the Atlanta and Fayetteville road. The enemy's skirmishers were found, and proved very obstinate. On the Shoal Creek road, which was east from Mrs. Long's, General Newton's division was left in position to guard this road, and Wood's and Kimball's divisions were encamped in line upon the Atlanta and Fayetteville road. This position of the troops, it was learned just at night-fall, was not in accordance with the views of the department commander, but owing to the lateness of the hour it was not deemed advisable to move the whole force, and one brigade of General Wood's division and the pickets of the command were pushed out to cover the road leading by Morrow's Mills to Decatur. General Newton, at Mann's house, on the Shoal Creek road, reported the enemy in considerable force, and intrenched between himself and Morrow's Mills. Early