Twenty-second Wisconsin, under Captain Pugh, took an advanced position in front of the batteries under the shelter of some old buildings.

While these dispositions were being made, learning that the First Brigade was to form upon my left, I sent a staff officer, Captain Ford, to ascertain its position. He reported its right from a quarter to a half a mile from my left, that the connection was imperfect, but that the brigade was well around to the left. Soon after receiving this report I was ordered to advance. This order was immediately communicated to regimental commanders, the advance sounded, and the whole line moved forward in good order. The ground in front of the Nineteenth Michigan and Eighty-fifth Indiana was an open space clear to the rebel works. As the line advanced beyond the batteries the two last-named regiments were in full view of the enemy's fortifications, when the commotion observed in the rebel lines caused our men to break out in enthusiastic cheers difficult to restrain. At this moment the enemy opened a severe fire upon us, and as our line advanced it obliqued to the left, being thus partially sheltered by the woods and old buildings in front of Smith's house. From this point the enemy's fire was briskly returned, and a rapid advance of the whole line soon brought the entire brigade into the enemy's works. The Nineteenth Michigan was the first to reach the works; the other regiments arrived in regular and rapid succession from right to left. Just in advance of the main line our skirmishers, under Captains Cahill and Clark, charged over the works while yet the rebel artillery officers were striving to keep up their fire. Two lieutenants were shot dead in attempting to escape. One piece of artillery and one caisson, which had been blown up by our artillery fire, together with the captain of the battery, were captured. After taking possession of the works and in obedience to instructions, I placed the Thirty-third Indiana and Twenty-second Wisconsin in line facing to the left, for the purpose of guarding against any advance that might be attempted by the enemy in that direction. As soon as the Fourteenth Corps had passed in our rear and around to our left, these regiments were withdrawn and placed in the main line.

Resting in their works for nearly an hour, I was ordered to advance, and with the division moved forward through a swamp on the right of the Raleigh road, passing the enemy's second line of works, which had already been evacuated and well up to his third and last line. Here my brigade was formed in two lines in reserve to the First and Third Brigades; at 3 p. m. relieved the skirmish line of the First Brigade by six companies, three from the Twenty-second Wisconsin, and three from the Thirty-third Indiana, all under Major Niederauer, Thirty-third Indiana. The skirmish line was formed from my brigade during the night. Just at night the Eighty-fifth Indiana took position between the Third Brigade on the right and the First on the left, building substantial breast-works. The other regiments formed in reserve, building temporary works. Between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning of the 17th the rebel lines were found withdrawn and the brigade, with the division, ordered to occupy the works, which was done. Halting only for breakfast, the brigade, in rear of the division, moved forward on the Raleigh road, occupying Averasborough without opposition and encamping for the night. On the 18th moved at 6 a. m., brigade in center of division; countermarched for the distance of one mile; then took a road to our left two miles, which led us to the bridge on Black River; in crossing the river the men were obliged to wade to the depth