August 29.-General Wood established no headquarters last night, and it was impossible for the orderly who took the order, dated 11.45 last night, to find him, and he did not get it until 7.30 this morning. 9 a. m., General Stanley started on the march to destroy the railroad. 9.30 a. m., commenced to destroy the railroad, as directed, and by 2 p. m. had destroyed (with the assistance of a part of the First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps) three miles of track from our lines toward East Point. The road was destroyed to within two and a half miles of the enemy's works this side of East Point. The enemy did not attack us, but skirmished some with our skirmish line, which was thrown out some distance ahead of a line o battle which was formed across the railroad facing Atlanta by parts of our troops and the Fourteenth Corps troops that were sent out to destroy the track. This line of battle covered the troops working on the track. The troops of the Fourth Corps engaged in this work were Post's and Kimball's division, all under the immediate command of General Wood. 7.30 p. m., received instructions from department headquarters as follows:*

8 p. m., directed division commanders to be ready to march at 6 a. m. to-morrow; that the corps would march at that hour, in accordance with the above instructions, and that the order of march will be Newton's division to lead, followed by Wood's then Kimball's. Day very hot and clear.

August 30.-6 a.m ., the corps started on the march, in accordance with the orders of last evening. Arrived at Ballard's house at 7.40 a.m ., and our advance skirmished with a few of the enemy's cavalry; did not halt. About three-quarters of a mile from Ballard's house met the Fourteenth Army Corps crossing the road on which we were moving at right angles. General Davis had taken the wrong road, and we had to wait for him to pass with two divisions. His other division has been ordered to move on the right road and our trains will follow it. 10.20, resume the march (Fourteenth Corps out of the way). 11.30, arrive at Long's house. Commenced to skirmish again with the enemy's cavalry at this point,a nd moved up to John Mann's house, on the Flat Shoal and Rough and Ready road. The head of Newton's division arrived at this point at 12.25 p. m. and drove back the enemy's skirmishers, who were at this point. Newton's division here went into line of battle, and Wood's and Kimball's divisions halted in the road from Longs' house to Couch's house, on the Fayetteville and Decatur road. 2 p. m., commenced to put the First and Second Divisions (Kimball's and Wood's) into line of battle in front of Long's house, facing Rough and Ready, and directed General Newton to withdraw to the same and place his division in this line. 3.15 p. m., received verbal instructions from General Thomas not to place the troops in line of battle about Long's house, but to place two divisions on the Decatur road, join Baird's left (left of Fourteenth corps), and to leave Newton's division where it is (about Mann's house) until it is relieved by General Schofield. At once withdrew the troops from the line of battle which they are forming and moved Wood's division over to the Decatur road to join General Barid's left. 5 p. m., troops taking position in new line of battle. Our right joins Baird's left near the

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*For instructions (here omitted) see Part V.

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59 R R-VOL XXXVIII, PT I