strong picket reserve close to the sentinel, and seeing the impossibility of going farther with the force at his command he cautiously withdrew his men, and went back to report progress, and was excused from further duty at the time. During the night, however, Colonel Mitchell sent for Sergeant Winters, and giving him another detail of about twenty men, directed him to cut the dam, if possible. On the approach of this party, the rebel sentinel and reserve withdrew, moving up the hill-side and around in rear of the party, evidently with the intention of capturing them; seeing his danger, Sergeant Winters sent a man back to report; Colonel Mitchell then sent a stronger force in charge of a commissioned officer, and the whole number moved forward to perform their task, which the rebels perceiving, they advanced upon the party, firing rapidly. As it has now become so light that every movement was easily seen by the enemy, the officer in charge of the party ordered a retreat, which was effected without loss. I have been thus particular in giving an account of this adventure, because I wished to do justice to a gallant young non-commissioned officer in one of his numerous deeds of coolness in danger since he has been under my command. In the afternoon of the next day I received orders to support a skirmish line which was ordered to dislodge the sharpshooters of the enemy from Rocky Face Ridge, but on arriving at the position indicated in the order, I was informed by the officer in charge of the skirmishers that his men were out of ammunition, and unless they were relieved, he would be obliged to abandon the line; accordingly, I sent forward Companies D and I, as skirmishers, who held the line until after dark, when the whole regiment was relieved. The loss in my regiment in this action was 9 men wounded, some of whom have since died.

On the 14th of May, while on the left of the first line of battle of the Second Brigade, the line was ordered forward to cross a field commanded by a rebel battery advantageously posted and supported by a strong line of infantry in rifle-pits. Alone my command advanced into the open field, and when about fifty yards from the edge of the field opposite to the enemy a withering storm of shell, grape, and canister was fired full at my regiment. The only safety being to advance, I ordered the men forward on the double-quick, gaining a wooded knob in front and a little to the left of the line of march. Companies A, F, D, and part of Company I, took position in a ditch near where the first fire of the enemy reached us, and seriously annoyed the enemy's artillerists. The balance of the regiment gained the knob mentioned, from where they were able to do serious damage to the rebels, remaining in that position until night, firing every cartridge from a position where every shot might be made fatal. A little after dark we rejoined the brigade, having lost 3 commissioned officers wounded, 1 (Captain John A. Parrott) mortally; 6 enlisted men killed and 21 wounded; aggregate, 31 killed and wounded. May 16, our division took up line of march toward Rome, Ga., going into camp about twelve miles from that place. My regiment having the advance, the next day Company A was sent forward as advance guard, meeting the vedettes of the enemy six miles north of Rome. From this point this company, under Captain Peter Edge, skirmished constantly with the enemy, being supported by Company F, under Lieutenant Slaughter, and driving the rebels within their works at Rome. Here Company F was deployed, taking position on the left of Company A, Captain Ege assuming command