mentioned ridge, the right joining the left of the First Brigade, and the left flank refused, there being no connection. One regiment, the Twenty-eighth Kentucky, was held in reserve. The troops immediately began to build works, but had made but little progress, when the pickets were driven in and the enemy were upon us. The reserve regiment was immediately advanced to the front line, and the pioneers of the brigade, who had been working on the intrenchments, were withdrawn from the line and posted on the left flank in a line running perpendicularly toward the rear, making the form of our line of battle nearly semicircular. In this position the brigade repulsed repeated and desperate assaults of the enemy, inflicting severe loss, and sustaining but little injury. In the intervals of the enemy's charges the men continued work on their defenses, and by night-fall had completed a strong breast-work. The loss of the brigade during the entire fight was but 38 killed, wounded, and missing, while next morning 29 of the enemy were found dead in our front within twenty paces of the works. During the night the enemy withdrew to his main line of works, about three-fourths of a mile distant.

The entire command, both officers and men, behaved with the utmost gallantry, and although the enemy marched in line past the flank, at one time gaining our rear and completely enveloping us, yet every one stood nobly to his work, and inflicted a signal defeat upon the foe. The brigade remained in the position of yesterday during the 21st, and in the morning of the 22nd advanced to within two miles of Atlanta, the enemy having evacuated his works in our front the night before. We here too up position in a dense woods, about one-half mile east of the main Atlanta road, and commenced building works, the enemy occasionally throwing a shell into our midst from his fortifications around the city. The works in this position were not yet completed, when we were relieved by a portion of General Wood's division, and moved to the right as far as the Atlanta road and formed, with the right resting on the road and extending to a ravine on the left, and again built works. This was about 3 p. m., and until dark the enemy kept up a fierce cannonade in the position, throwing shells into our midst and exploding them everywhere around, killing 1 man and wounding 4. On the 23rd the Ninety-seventh Ohio was posted on the opposite side of the ravine, on our left, and built a work extending across to a second ravine. A portion of this work was afterward occupied by a regiment of General Wood's division. On the night of the 24th a second work was built in advance and to the right of the one built by the Ninety-seventh Ohio, and was occupied at first by a portion of that regiment and afterward by the One hundredth Illinois Volunteers. From the 10th of July until this time I was sick, and the brigade was commanded by Colonel J. W. Blake, Fortieth Indiana, who is now absent, and has made no report. My report is, therefore, derived from others-mainly from Lieutenant Cox, aide-de-camp, acting assistant adjutant-general at the time, including the account of the battle of the battle of the 20th of July. I, therefore, cannot hope to do justice to the regimental commanders and others during that time from my own observation, but must leave their actions to speak for them; and I am under many obligations to Colonel Blake for the manner in which he commanded the brigade during my absence. In the position above given, having one regiment, Twenty-sixth Ohio, in reserve, the brigade remained during the investment of Atlanta,