Marietta, encountering in our advance the rear guard of the enemy, or a portion of it, consisting of 1,000 cavalry,with which a brisk skirmish was kept up, my skirmishers driving the cavalry through the town of Marietta, when we were halted during the engagement between Gary's battery and a battery of the enemy, after which we moved forward, passing to the right of the town. Nothing further of importance occurred until the afternoon of the 20th of July, when we were put in line of battle, my regiment holding the right of the brigade and also of the division under the cover of a ridge or hill south of Peach Tree Creek. We were ordered forward by Colonel Harrison,commanding the brigade, to take a position on the crest of the ridge. The enemy was discovered advancing in heavy column in a direction toward the left of the brigade and moved directly in front of the Seventy-ninth Ohio and One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois and the Seventieth Indiana, occupying on this occasion the left of the brigade, the One hundred and fifth Illinois moving forward in the rear as a support or reserve line, the shock of the charge falling heaviest of the One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois and the Seventy-ninth Ohio. There being no enemy in our immediate front we changed our position by wheeling slightly toward the left and opened upon the advancing column an enfilading fire, pouring volley after in quick succession, such as the Spencer rifle alone can give, until we had the proud satisfaction of seeing the enemy vanquished and seeking safety in flight. From the favorable position of the regiment during this sanguinary engagement we dealt upon our enemy severe punishment with trifling loss to ourselves, losing 2 killed and 10 wounded. Nothing of importance occured from this time up to the 16th of August.

I cannot well close this report of the operations of my regiment during this campaign, unparalleled for its duration and severity of labor, without expressing my profound satisfaction with the gallant conduct of my men, who,actuated by the highest motives of patriotism, have borne its fatigues and exposures, performing long and rapid marches, and laboring upon fortifications under the blistering rays of the sun as well as during the pelting storm night as well as day,often upon short rations, without a murmur, always facing the enemy and never yielding an inch of ground, and at all times unshrinkingly facing the hazards and dangers of war.

I am very, respectfully, yours,

F. C. SMITH,

Colonel 102 Illinois Infantry.

Colonel BENJAMIN HARRISON,

Commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS, September 23, 1864.

COLONEL: During the interval between the 20th of August and the 25th of the same month the regiment day in the advanced works before Atlanta, the brigade lying on the right of the railroad (Atlanta and Western), the regiment in its usual place, second from the right. About the 17th of August the pickets of the First Brigade concluded a truce with the rebels, and it was agreed that there should be no more picket-firing, which truce was faithfully kept by both parties, except in one instance, where 1 man of Company K