intrenched line - and near the Marietta road, about the same distance in front of the interval between Knipe's (First) and Ruger's (Second) brigades, of First (Williams') Division. It was occupied by the enemy's pickets in strong pits and defenses, and its crest and approaches were under the close fire of his works. The picket-line of the division, supported by two small regiments, made a dash for the hill and seized it, with a loss of but 4 men, capturing 135 officers and men of the enemy's picket. Before the crest could be intrenched the enemy opened upon our men from several batteries, and during the day the division lost in holding the position 2 officers wounded and 11 men killed and 57 wounded. We, however, held and strongly fortified the hill, compelling the enemy to permanently close up all the embrasures of the front face of his nearest work. The hill remained in our possession until the corps withdrew to the Chattahoochee. It is but proper to state that, for the purpose of burning some buildings upon it, this hills was previously taken by our picket-line, supported by the Thirteenth New Jersey Volunteer, under Colonel E. A. Carman, general officer of the day, in which affair we captured about 20 of the enemy, with a loss of 1 killed and 3 wounded. The enemy subsequently strongly re-enforced and intrenched the picket on this hill.

On the 3rd of August Ward's division returned from the reconnaissance toward the right, and on the 4th relieved two divisions of the Fourteenth Corps and occupied their works, on the right of the Twentieth Corps. The Third Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Corps, remained, and was temporarily placed under the orders of Brigadier-General Ward, commanding the Third Division, Twentieth Corps. Our line at this time extended nearly two and a half miles. From the 5th to the 10th of August the line of ward's division was several times moved forward, gaining toward the enemy's works from a half to three-quarters of a mile. New Works were built, keeping up connection on the right with Corse's division, Sixteenth Corps. The line of Ruger's (Second) brigade, First Division, was also moved forward, to perfect the line between the left of Ward's division and Knipe's (First) brigade, of Williams' (First) division. Geary also established and completed his line in advance, on the extreme left of the corps, connecting with the Fourth Corps. From the 11th to the 25th of August no changes of consequence were made in the line. The firing of the light guns of the corps were daily kept up upon the town and the enemy's works, and several noisy demonstrations were made by our heavy picket-line in obedience to superior orders. No organized advance upon the enemy's position was attempted. Casualties, though not large, were of daily occurrence.

On the 25th of August the wagons, ambulances, and a portion of the artillery, having been removed the previous day, the several divisions were withdrawn from our main line about 8 p. m. and massed about 800 yards in the rear. The First Division (General Knipe commanding), with Harrison's brigade, of Ward's division, was near the Montgomery Ferry road, the Second (Geary's) Division, near the Howell's Mill and pace's Ferry road, and two brigades of Third (Ward's) Division near the Turner's Ferry road. These several columns were ordered to move on three roads toward the Chattahoochee as soon as the rear of the Fourth Corps, marching from our left, had passed their respective positions. Knipe was instructed to take up a line on the south side of Montgomery's Ferry, at the railroad crossing, and to protect the bridges there, throwing Harrison's brigade on the north side of the river. Geary