the charge at a double-quick and with a yell, and charged up to the fort. In the advance there was a necessary change of direction to the right, nearly at right-angles with the direction in which the column began the movement, and in consequence thereof the companies upon the right of each regiment, having a much smaller arc of a circle to pass over, arrived at or near the fort much sooner than the center or left of the regiments. When the right companies of the One hundred and twenty-ninth Regiment had arrived at the fort there was no visible evidence that any charge had been made into or through the fort, but when the actual charge into and through the fort was made the charging party consisted of parts of the right companies of each regiment in the brigade, the rear regiments having in the mean time closed upon the head of the column. The fort being simply a natural basin on the ridge, with formidable breast-works flanking it on the right and left, and on higher ground,the concentric fire therefrom into the fort forced the charging party to abandon it and to throw themselves just outside of the guns in a position to hold and defend them and the fort. At the time, however,of this charge, the color bearer of the One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois, Sergeant Hess, Company H, who was shot down and killed in the fort at his colors, with another storming party from the One hundred and second and One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois, entered the fort in the center, charged through the fort and planted the colors at first between the fort and breast-works in the rear, but afterward removed the colors and planted them by the guns, where they remained till late at night (when relieved by General Geary's division), defended by from 300 to 500 men and officers of the various regiments of the brigade. While the colors of the One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois were the first planted in the fort, justice demands that I should say that immediately, or soon thereafter, the colors of the One hundred and second Illinois and One hundred and fifth Illinois were also planted alongside of the guns. In the above charge the loss in my regiment was as follows: Killed,9; wounded, 39 men and 2 officers. The men killed were buried on the field the next day. During the daytime of the 16th the One hundred and twenty-ninth, with the other regiments of our brigade,was engaged in burying the dead and gathering up small-arms upon the field, but started about sunset en route to overtake the retreating foe. On the morning of the 17th we crossed Oostenuala River at --- Ford, and on the evening of the 18th,after an exhausting march that day of twenty miles, we encountered the enemy's skirmishers several miles north of Cassville; deployed into line of battle; finally encamped for the night, and early next morning advanced in line of battle upon the enemy. About 2 p.m. the One hundred and twenty-ninth was thrown forward as skirmishers and moved forward, driving the rebel skirmishers before them, and advanced to the outskirts of the town, where they were relieved by the skirmishers of General Knipe at dark. On the 20th the regiment went into camp and remained for rest until the 23d, when the line of march was resumed, crossing the Etowah on afternoon of that day. On the 25th we encountered the enemy near Dallas, and immediately moved upon him in line of battle under a heavy of artillery and musketry, losing 5 wounded. On the 27th our brigade advanced its lines under a heavy skirmish fire, the One hundred and twenty-ninth losing 1 killed and 10 wounded; also on the 28th 1 wounded on skirmish line.