it was made, swept away 2 guns and several hundred prisoners. General Smith, although his flank was developed by the rebel mass thrown upon it, and in great danger from the heavy columns thrown upon his rear, succeeded in forming him men on the reverse of his works, and, in conjunction with the operatins of General Dodge, General Walcutt, and Colonel Wangelin, in checking the advance of the enemy. The attacking columns of the enemy advanced as far around as the rear of General Leggett's line. The division was at once placed on the outside of the works, and received and checked the assault successfully.

About this time, 1 o'clock, I received information of the death of Major- General McPherson, and an order from General Sharman, whose headquarters were at the Howard house, to assume commnd of the Army of the Tennessee. This order was verbal, and accompanied by the assurance that I could call upon Geenral Shcofield for so many re- enforcements as might be neede. Turning over the command of the Fifteenth Corps, which was not then engaged, to Brigadier General Morgan L. Smith, I rode rapidly in the direction of the firing to our left and its rear. When I reached that part of the field the firing had considerably diminished, the enemy having fallen back a short distance to reform his lines. General Leggett's division, of the Seventeenth Corps, held the Bald Hill. General Giles A. Smith also held the greater part of his position on the extreme left. Both divisions had been attackee from the rear, andhad fought from the outside oftheir works, and were at that time busily engaged in reversing them in anticipation of another attack from the same direction. Between the left of the Seventeenth Corps and the right of the brigade of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Corps, General Dodge's right, three was an interval was heavily timbered, and afforded an excellent cover for the movements of the enemy's troops. It was occupied by no troops whatever, except Colonel Wngelin's brigade, of the Fifteenth Corps, which I moved, as I came into the field, to an elevated position in the rear of the center of the Fourth Division, of the Seventeenth Corps, about midway between Bald Hill and General Dodge's command. It was partly covered by the brigade of General Walcutt. After repulsing the first rebel attack General Dodge had retired his position somewhat, had thrown back his right and left flanks, and sent an urgent request for re- enforcements to cover his left flank. I ordered General M. L. Smith to send him Colonel Martin's brigade, of the Second Division, of the Fifteenth Corps. His position was in rear of Leggett's division, facing at right angles to his line of battle, and with both flanks refused. The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps and 6 guns of the Sixteenth Corps and several hundred prisoners having been captured. They had received the attack of the heavy determined columns of Hardee's corps, made under the most unfortunate and dangerous circumstances, but had, by the unsurpassed bravery of the men and the great skill and resources of their immediate commanders, maintained the intergity of their lines.

The character and strength of the first assault upon our position had fully developed the tactics of Geeneral Hood. The most important position in the field of operations was the Bld Hill, occupied by the Third Division, of the Seventeenth Corps. It commanded the whole field occupied by the lines, and covered all ground on which were the trains of the Army of the Tennessee. I there-