opend the fact that the line the enemy occupied could not be connected with Lost Mountain from the nature of the ground, and was untenable from the weakness of his left flank. On the 15th Hascall pushed forward his right and succeeded in turning the enemy's left, while Cox advanced his center over favorable ground. The enemy made a sharp but short resistance, and fell back to his main line. Hascall made no farther advance that day, and Cox was left in reserve by the advance of the Twentieth Corps converging toward the same point, Hardshell Church. The next day Hascall advanced and developed the enemy's second line from Hardshell Church toward Lost Mountain, General Cox occupying a short interval between General Hascall and the Twentieth Corps. The enemy's position here was found to be a naturally good one, being a series of ridges connecting Lost Mountain with Kenesaw, and strongly fortified throughout its extent. The works were, however, badly located about Hardshell Church, making it a very weak salient, exposed to cross and enfilade fire of artillery. Covers were prepared for our artillery on all the favorable points, and about sunset the batteries of the Twentieth and Twenty-third corps were opened upon the enemy's salient. A sharp artillery fight ensued, lasting until dark, when the enemy ceased firing and abandoned his position in our front. In the morning we followed in pursuit, Cox on the Sandtown road and Hascall to the right. The enemy was driven back with sharp skirmishing during the day, until he was found in an intrenched position behind Mud Creek, his left near the Sandtown road. A sharp artillery contest was kept up while the troops were being deployed preparatory to crossing the creek beyond the flank of the enemy's works. Before the movement could be made a heavy rain came on, rendering the creek impassable, and making it necessary to suspend operations until the 19th, when the enemy drew back his left behind Noyes' Creek. We crossed Mud Creek, on the Sandtown road, and advanced as far as Noyes' Creek, where the enemy had removed the bridge flooring, and the creek was still too high to be forded. The opposite bank was held by a brigade of dismounted cavalry behind barricades, supported by artillery. On the 20th General Cox relaid the bridge flooring under cover of his artillery and infantry fire, forced the crossing of the creek, and fortified a bridge-head on the opposite bank. On the 22nd we crossed the creek in force. General cox advanced on the Sandtown road to the intersection of the Powder Springs and Marietta road, at Chaney's, and intrenched that position. General Hascall moved toward Marietta and connected with the right of the Twentieth Corps at Kolb's. While reconnoitering with General Hooker, with a view to advancing our troops to a more desirable position, we discovered that the enemy was advancing in heavy force to attack us; our troops were therefore ordered to intrench the position they then held as rapidly as possible, while the Fourteenth Kentucky, of General Hascall's division, which was coffering the reconnaissance, was ordered to hold the enemy in check to gain time for the troops to prepare for defense. This gallant regiment detained the enemy an hour and a half, and only retired to the main line when ordered to do so, contesting stubbornly every foot of ground. The enemy now advanced in mass in front of General Hascall and General Hooker's right, but was quickly repulsed with heavy loss by the fire of our infantry and artillery in position. As

33 R R - VOL XXXVIII, PT II