toward the enemy's line, and sending out the First Brigade (Colonel Kirby) at 3 a. m., drove the enemy back, with sharp skirmishing, to their main line of works. After coming within close rifle range of the enemy's intrenchments Colonel Kirby retired, and returned to his position. A noble and worthy officer, Captain Rains, of the Ninetieth Ohio, was killed. No others injured. On the 20th, at 3 o'clock, I sent the Third Brigade (General Grose) on a reconnaissance to the left of railroad to develop, if possible, the position of the enemy's extreme right. Deploying skirmishers, and sending them forward, at daylight the enemy's pickets were met and driven down the road and into his works, 8 of them falling into our hands. By this movement it was found that the enemy's right flank was guarded by Morgan's brigade, of Georgia State Mounted Militia, and Strahl's infantry brigade, backed by artillery in good works.

Nothing unusual occurred until the 25th, when the order to march was received, and at night-full my division withdrew from their position and marched to Proctor's Creek where it bivouacked at 1 a. m. the 26th, and remained until 8 o'clock, the rebels shelling my lines from their works on the northwest side of Atlanta but injuring no one. While my pickets were preparing to withdraw, as the march was commenced that morning, the enemy charged them with a strong line of skirmishers, but they were handsomely repulsed and driven back with a loss to them of 4 killed and 2 captured, and with no loss to me; the lines were then withdrawn without further molestation from him. The command bivouacked that evening on the south side and near Utoy Creek. On the 27th the division was marched to Mount Gilead Church, near Camp Creek, and intrenched the position, in which it remained during the night. On the 28th the division marched to near the West Point and Atlanta Railroad at Red Oak Station, and took up a position, which was fortified. On the 29th, by your order, I sent the Second Brigade (Colonel Taylor) to destroy the railroad toward Atlanta, and three regiments under Colonel Bennett, of the Seventy-fifth Illinois, toward West Point for the same effectual manner, leaving no rail or the which could be used for the purpose again. On the morning of the 30th my division moved to Flat River. On the 1st day of September I moved forward by your order to the Macon railroad and assisted in the destruction of it toward Jonesborough, at which place the enemy was fortified; a sharp skirmish ensued, in which I lost about 50 in killed and wounded, and captured 3 commissioned officers and 19 men, and at night my division was placed in position with Colonel Kirby, First Brigade, on my right, Brigadier-General Grose, Third Brigade, on my left and Colonel Taylor, Second Brigade, in reserve. Your order was given to advance upon the enemy's works at daybreak, but during the night he evacuated his position and fell back to Lovejoy's. On the morning of the 2nd the command moved to near Lovejoy's, where the enemy was encountered, and my division was formed on the left of the corps, with Brigadier-General Grose on my right, Colonel Taylor on my left, and Colonel Kirby in reserve, and advanced to within 500 yards of the enemy's intrenchments under a terrible fire of shell and canister from his guns, where a position was taken and works thrown up; in this advance I captured 30 prisoners and severely punished the enemy.