the morning of the 23rd found our works in as good condition as at the beginning of the enemy's operations.

The enemy, being apparently satisfied with their attempts at carrying our works by assault, now commenced their regular approached, and soon had possession of a line of hills on the main roads, not exceeding 350 yards distance from our salient points,. These hills with their SECOND parallel.

On the 24th, some of the enemy's sappers crept up a ravine to within 40 yards of the work on the Jackson road, and started a sap, apparently with the intention of mining. When they had reached within 20 p; aces of our work, they were dislodged by hand-grenades, and relinquished this attempt for some time.

On the 25th, the enemy appeared in force on the Warrenton road, and commenced establishing batteries in Gett's field, at a distance of some 600 yards form our advanced redoubt. They also pushed their first parallel on toward our right, and crossed the Hall's Ferry road about 1,000 yards from the advanced redoubt on this road. Their line of circumvolution was by this completed, and remained unbroken thenceforward. To prevent any approach of the enemy up the river flat, I attempted to construct an abais from the hills to the river, ans sent out a working party under Lieutenant Donnellan and Mr. Ginder for that purpose. The guard for the working party was driven in after a skirmish and the capture of 100 of the enemy. The work was not accomplished. On this day rifle-pits were started along the river front to connect the line of land defenses on the right with the heavy batteries.

Along the rear line the engineers were engaged in general repairs, strengthening the parapets, extending the rifle-pits, placing obstructions in front of the exposed points, consisting of abatis, palisades, ditches, and entanglements of pickets and telegraph wire. Sand-bag loop holes were also made along the whole line to protect our sharpshooters. These sand-bags were made from tent-=files and old tents turned over to me by the quartermaster's department, and from the same source I obtained a supply of material during the whole siege. A 32-pounder was moved from the river front and mounted on the left of General Smith's line, a new battery for three guns started in rear of General [S. D.]Lee's and a new battery for two guns built on the left of General [J. C.]Moore's.

On the night of the 26th, the usual work of repairs and improvements went on; the rifle-pits on the river front were pushed ahead; the battery in rear of General Lee was finished, and a 30-pounder parrott put in position. On this nighty the enemy for the first time fired on our working parties, and wounded a lieutenant commanding a fatigue party.

On the 27th, the enemy attacked our river front, with their gunboats, without, however doing any serious damage. They were driven off, and the Cincinnati sunk by the upper battery. This battery was protected by traverses from an enfilade fire from the enemy's sharpshooters on the hills across Mint Spring Bayon.

On the 28th, the artillery fire of the enemy was unusually severe, and several of our works were considerably damaged, especially the works on General Lee's front, and on the Graveyard and Jackson roads. All General Moore's line, on the right of the Baldwin's Ferry road.

On the 29th, the usual repairs and improvements continued along the whole line; a new battery made in rear of the line left of Hall's Ferry road; the new battery in rear of General Lee improved, and