fort from the right and front obliquently, came up to its right salient, ran along its front at the foot of the glacis, and wound round its left flank to enter the city. The rifle-pits connecting with the retired parts of the fort on the right receded very rapidly, to take advantage of the ground. For a like reason three was an interval of upward of 100 yards between the left of the fort and the continuation of the general line of defenses to the left. Through this interval the Baldwin's Ferry road entered the city. To the front of the fort, and both to its right and left, the earth is most irregularly broken into large and deep valleys more or less per large bodies of men. Of these valleys there are two important debouches into the road one debouche with a sharp curve into the road about 35 paces to the right of our right salient; the other debouche is by a long, straight valley approaching obliquely and terminating at the road in the interval between the left of the fort and the continuation of our lines to the left. Coming up this latter valley, takes the front of the fort in enfilade and its right flank and rifle-pits in reserve. Between these two debouches, in front of the port and separated from it by the road, which here runs in a deep trench, is a sharp elevation of the height of the fort, with a rapid declivity from us. Everywhere, from close proximity to our works to and indefinite distance outward, were crests between the irregular system of valleys just spoken of, some of which were more elevated than the fort. These crests, at varying distances fro our works of 600 yards to a mile, furnished suitable positions for the enemy's cannon, and protected them and their infantry from our fire as effectually as could have been done by artificial breastworks. In short, form many operations in the progress of attack, the great natural strength of this district, so much vaunted, inured as much to the advantage of the besiegers as of the besieged.

Our fort was an irregular lunette, with no flank on the left, or it my be considered a redan with a large pac coupe, having its left thrown forward and its right retired. Its left having no flank, its interior was exposed to an enfilading and reserve fire from the enemy approaching by the valley, which debouches on its left. Its parapet ; was about 4. 1/4 feet high on the inside, its superior slope about 14 feet thick. It was surrounded by a ditch in front nearly 6 feet deep, with an irregular glacis made by the natural slope of the earth to the ferry road. There were two embrasures for cannon, with a traverse between them. The men of my regiment were stationed as follows. The two right companies occupied the rifle-pits tending off from the right of the fort, the four next companies manned the fort, the four remaining, or left, companies occupied the lines next on our left separated from the fort by the interval of upward of 100 yards, above described. In addition there were, at the commencement of the siege, placed in the fort two detachments, with their guns, from Captain Tobin's battery.

The embrasures were subsequently filled up, for reasons which will be hereafter stated. A flank on our left and another traverse were constructed for protection against a fire up the left valley. A ditch 2 feet deep was gun on the inside of the parapet, to enable the men to stand erect without being exposed to the enemy's fire. As the enemy's elongated shot traversed the parapet near its upper slope and killed several men, the parapet was strengthened by adding to its interior slope in some places 2 feet to its thickness. It was also found necessary to deepen the trenches ans strengthen the breastworks of the rifle-pits on deepen the trenches and strengthen the breastworks of the rifle-pits on deepen the tenches and strengthen the breastworks of the rifle-pits on the right. I was also obliged to construct covered wqaya for the purpose of safe ; communication with the sinks and wells in the rear. And event-