feel our lines. They drove in the pickets and opened with their artillery. They did not show themselves in force, keeping a respectful distance from our main line. Captain Smith opened on them with two guns and soon drove away their artillery. The next morning Captain Tebbetts, aide-de-camp, with twenty-five mounted men, made a reconnaissance, but found no enemy. He went to the right as far as Nelson's Ferry, then made a detour, and came into General Williams' lines at the railroad bridge. On the 30th Major Higgins, Seventy-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in command of 400 infantry, found the enemy strongly intrenched on Proctor's Creek; demonstrations being made on both his right and left flanks, he prudently withdrew. On September 2 a reconnaissance was made, which resulted in the capture of Atlanta; a report of this has already been forwarded.* On the 3rd instant that portion of the Second and Third Brigades which was left at Turner's Ferry moved into the city. The First Brigade is still at the railroad bridge on the Chattahoochee. For the information of the major-general commanding, numerical and nominal lists of casualties are appended.# Herewith are brigade and regiment reports.

I am, colonel, your obedient servant,

W. T. WARD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Lieutenant Colonel H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General Twentieth Army Corps.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
Atlanta, Ga., September 5, 1864.

According to orders from corps headquarters, I started Colonel Coburn with 900 infantry to reconnoiter in the direction of Atlanta, and to ascertain the position of the enemy. As an advance to said troops I sent Captain Scott, of my staff, with twenty-five cavalry from Colonel Capron's brigade. The infantry had 240 men advanced in their front as skirmishers. The expedition reached Atlanta about 9 a. m. on the 2nd of this month, meeting with no opposition. The expedition entered the city and took possession about 9.30 a. m. on said day, the civil authorities surrendering the town to Colonel Coburn and Captain Scott. A copy of the surrender is inclosed in Captain Scott's report, which, with Colonel Couburn's report, is respectfully forwarded with my report. Immediately on the surrender the same was reported to me and forwarded to corps headquarters. At that time the mounted men and the 240 men from Colonel Coburn's command were sent through the town to drive out the rebel cavalry still remaining. These were forced out without any loss to my men, although the enemy fired upon the cavalry and skirmishers from all the streets until forced beyond the city limits. After the enemy were driven out the balance of Colonel Coburn's command was marched into town and strong guards placed out to prevent depredations upon private property, which was successfully done until said was relived in the evening of said day by the First Division. We captured upward of 100 prisoners, over 100

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*See following.

#Aggregating 17 officers and 328 men killed, 94 officers and 2,166 men wounded, and 22 men missing; total, 2,681.

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