deserved a better fate. The officers and men on both batteries did their whole duty.

I forward herewith the reports of battery commanders.

H. H. GRIFFITHS,

Captain and Acting Chief of Artillery.

Captain G. J. WILKINSON, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

OFFICE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY, FOURTH DIV., 15TH A. C.,

July 26, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by the artillery of this division in the actions of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of this month to be as follows:

On the 20th the artillery was ordered forward by Major Maurice, chief of artillery for the Fifteenth Army Corps. The position was much exposed, and the rebel line such that we could not reply, the timber being so dense we could see nothing. We remained here without firing a shot, and had 2 men killed and 9 wounded and lost several horses. On the night of the 20th some hastily constructed works were thrown up, and we changed front, and early in the morning opened fire with good effect and fired at intervals all day. To vary the line of fire the guns were drawn out of the works and served in the open field, exposed to a severe musketry fire. On the 22nd the rebels having evacuated their line, it was taken possession of by us, and the rifle-pits reversed for our use. Both batteries were placed upon this line, but no works were constructed for them. Early in the day an attack was threatened in our rear, and soon after it became general; both the batteries were engaged in repulsing this attack, particularly Battery F, which rendered good service. Soon after this rear attack was made there began an assault from our front or from toward Atlanta. The First Iowa Battery was moved to the new line and in a moment the rush of rebel infantry began. We opened fire with case and shell, and toward the last with canister, firing seventy-two rounds of this last projectile, and entirely preventing one single rebel from approaching our front. At last the Second Division, Brigadier General Morgan L. Smith, commanding, retreated from their rifle-pits and thus allowed our line to be broken, when the enemy, forming a new line, began to charge down on our right. Our canister was gone, and finding the infantry giving way on our right, I at last ordered the guns to be limbered up and retired to our original line. Soon after I ordered all the artillery at my command to open, and shelled for twenty minutes the position lately help by us, driving all the rebels entirely from it, when it was retaken by our infantry without firing a shot.

Battery F lost its caissons, they having been parked in rear of the Second Division, but the caissons, &c., of the First Iowa Battery were brought off safely. I herewith thank Lieutenant Gay and his battery for their good conduct on that day, and to Captain Burton for his well-directed fire, he having fired in almost every direction and moved his battery many times during the course of this hardbought action.

Herewith please find the official report of the two batteries, which are made a part of this report.

H. H. GRIFFITHS,

Captains and Chief of Artillery.

Lieutenant VAN DYKE, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.