obstructing the cuts with brush, logs, and dirt. August 30, moved this morning toward the Macon railroad, the Second Brigade in advance of us, skirmishing all day with the enemy's cavalry, and driving him before us into their works at Jonesborough. The brigade formed with a front of our regiments on the left of the troops them in position, throwing out pickets, covering the front and left of the division, and during the night erected rail-works. August 31, at 5 a.m. I received orders from General Hazen to advance the picket-line of the division and develop the enemy's position-the entire pickets being from my command, the Thirtieth Ohio Volunteers picketing in front of the Second Brigade on the right. The pickets in front of my brigade were detailed from the different regiments composing the command, the brigade being the left of the troops then in position. I found it inexpedient to advance the line of the Second Brigade. The rest of the line I advanced by swinging it to the front and right, forming a right angle with the right of the line, the left resting on the crest of an important ridge. I immediately brought forward the One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, Captain Schryver, for the purpose of reconnoitering farther to the front, on the left of the picket-line. The enemy making his appearance on my left, the One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteers was deployed along the crest of the hill on a line perpendicular to the rear of the first line, covering our left flank. The One hundred and sixteenth Illinois Volunteers was then brought up to support that portion of the line. In the mean time I reported the importance of the position to General Hazen, who directed me to move up another regiment and intrench. The Fifty-seventh Ohio Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Mott, was brought forward in obedience to that order, and soon after the Sixth Missouri Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Van Deusen, and the Fifty-fifth Illinois, Captain Browne. The enemy about this time could be seen extending his lines beyond our left. The One hundred and sixteenth Illinois was then deployed on the left of the One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, and soon after I found it necessary to deploy the Sixth Missouri, Lieutenant-Colonel Van Deusen, on the left of the One hundred and sixteenth Illinois, leaving but two regiments in line, which I at once set to work on the intrenchments. They had but just commenced work when the enemy moved on us a heavy line of skirmishers, but was driven back by our pickets, [but] not before we had lost 2 men killed and 4 or 5 wounded. After a few moment's delay, the work was resumed. At about 12 m. two Wisconsin regiments from the Seventeenth Army Corps, the numbers of which I did not learn, were placed in support of the Sixth Missouri and One hundred and sixteenth Illinois, where they intrenched. Up to this time I had fears of being unable to hold my position should my command have been attacked, but now I felt confident of defending it successfully. At about 3 p.m. the enemy made a vigorous assault with three brigades, under the command of the rebel General Clayton, driving in my skirmishers. The One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois was quickly formed and placed on the left of the Fifty-fifth Illinois, refusing their left sufficient to give them a fire across the interval between my left and the position of the Wisconsin regiments, in case that Captain Windsor, who was directed to fill the gap with the One hundred and sixteenth Illinois, should be obliged to retire. Neither of these regiments had protection, only such as the nature of the ground afforded.