results. In these two attacks they were punished very severely, leaving a very large number of killed and wounded on the ground. A lull of some twenty minutes occurred at this time, after which our skirmishers toward Atlanta were driven in, followed closely by a heavy force which advanced with yells. My men were placed upon the east side of their works and met the charge as they had the others and repulsed the rebels beautifully. They were rallied and again advanced and again repulsed. Soon a heavy column (Cheatham's division, Hardee's corps) moved directly upon the left flank of the Fourth Division, which compelled it to change front and leave its works. As the approaching column advanced and reached to the vicinity of my left, I caused the Second Brigade of my command to follow the movements of the Fourth Division, but with the positive injunction that "the hill must be retained at all hazards and at whatever cost." The Second Brigade was then formed with its right resting upon the hill and its left upon the Fourth Division, facing south. This change of front was executed under a heavy fire of musketry, and of grape and canister, and in the face of a rapidly advancing force of fresh troops, composed probably of the enemy's best fighting men--Cheatham's division. Our men were greatly fatigued with about five hours' hard fighting, and were now obliged to me the enemy in the open field without protecting works of any kind whatever, except a portion of the First Brigade, on the hill. In this part of the day our troops showed their true soldierly qualities. They stood like rocks of adamant, and received the repeated charges of the enemy without yielding an inch. The engagement here became finally a hand-to-hand conflict, the sword, the bayonet, and even the first, were freely and effectively used, and the enemy repulsed with a slaughter I never before witnessed. This conflict ended the day. My officers and men behaved with determined bravery.

My losses were heavy and in some respects particularly unfortunate and embarrassing. At the very commencement of the action, even before a shot had been fired upon my lines, Colonel R. K. Scott, commanding my Second Brigade, was captured by the enemy while returning to his command from a detached regiment, and during the first attack both Brigadier-General Force and his adjutant-general, Captain J. B. Walker, fell severely wounded. These officers, occupying the positions they did, and having the entire confidence of their commands, could not be spared without great detriment to the division. This was especially the case with Brigadier-General Force, whose coolness, sagacity, and bravery had long since won the admiration of the whole division, and always inspired the men with confidence and enthusiasm. The batteries of artillery in my division, the Third Ohio, Battery D, First Illinois, and Battery H, First Michigan, did very effective service during all of these successive engagements, and their officers and men showed great skill and determined bravery. Captain W. S. Williams, Third Ohio Battery, my chief of artillery, is entitled to great credit for the coolness and skill displayed in adjusting and using his batteries, and in saving them when exposed. Especial notice is also due to Colonel George E. Bryant, of the Twelfth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteers, who assumed command of the First Brigade when General Force fell, and to Lieutenant Colonel G. F. Wiles, Seventy-eighth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, who took command of the Second Brigade. These officers, though taking command after the battle opened, displayed