railroad. Cox advanced directly upon the Rough and Ready road. Hascall crossed the creek a mile above the mill and occupied roads leading from East Point and Atlanta to protect our flank, while General Stanley took a road to the right via Thame's* Mill. General Cox met no opposition but light cavalry, which he drove rapidly before him until he crossed Mud Creek, a mile from the railroad. The cars were running continually from the direction of Atlanta, stopping in our front and returning, and the resistance in front was rapidly increasing. It was evident the enemy was re-enforcing the threatened point as rapidly as possible. No time was therefore to be lost. The troops pushed forward with the utmost vigor, and by 3 p. m. had driven the enemy from a position well intrenched and covered with abatis, and had gained a firm foothold upon the railroad about one mile and a half below Rough and Ready. General Stanley soon came up upon our right and intrenched. General Cox destroyed a considerable section of track, and drove the enemy back about a mile toward Rough and Ready that evening.

At daylight the next morning, September 1, General Cox pushed his advance as far as Rough and Ready, destroying the track, while General Hascall came in front the extreme left and followed in support of General Stanley in his movement toward Jonesborough. General Cox followed as soon as General Garrard arrived with his cavalry division, to cover our rear and trains against any sudden attack from the north. My troops followed close upon General Stanley's, completing the destruction of the railroad, but took no part in the engagement in front of Jonesborough,being unable to get into position before dark. In the pursuit from Jonesborough to Lovejoy's we made a long and tedious march, through fields and woods, upon the flank of the main army, and got partially into position long after dark, without having been able to engage the enemy.

At 8 p. m. of the 5th of September my troops moved in concert with the other armies, and early the next morning took position on the left near Jonesborough. The march was resumed at 7 a. m. of the 7th, and on the 8th we encamped about Decatur. During the operations upon the right and rear of Atlanta Colonel Garrard's cavalry brigade, the only one of my command present in the field, co-operated with General Garrard's division in covering our left and rear.

I forward herewith the reports of all subordinate commanders except a few who are now absent. Having no full report from Major-General Stoneman, commanding Cavalry Corps, I am able to do no more than to briefly allude to his operations. I forward such reports of his subordinate commanders as have been obtained.

In making a report of a long series of operations signalized by hundreds of skirmishes and actions of greater or less magnitude, amounting in only a few cases to a battle, I have deemed it proper to give only a brief general history of events, referring to reports of subordinate commanders from the details of each day's operations. Reports of division and brigade commanders are herewith inclosed.

In closing my report I desire to put on record my high appreciation of the marked ability and fidelity with which my division and brigade commanders have discharged every duty. Brigadier General J. D. Cox and M. S. Hascall, commanding divisions, have especially merited the approbation of the Government and earned the soldier's reward.

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*Called Thorn's in Stanley's report.

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