line was driven in, but was re-established the next day with a loss of 22 killed and wounded. Houses that were occupied, or likely to be, by the enemy's sharpshooters, were destroyed, and some gallant sorties were made for that purpose.

On the 23d, and assault was made on the enemy's parallel by the Second Michigan, which, for a time, was successful, but they were finally driven back with loss of 6 killed, among whom was the commanding officer, and 44 wounded. Accompanying this are the reports of these engagements.

Longstreet's cavalry under Wheeler, attacked Colonel Mott's command on the 24th of November, at Kingston, and was severely repulsed, our men behaving with the utmost gallantry.

About this time [the 24th] the enemy commenced crossing his forces to the south side of the river, and on the 25th he made a desperate attempt to seize the heights commanding the town, but was severely repulsed by General Shackelford's forces. Colonel Reilly's brigade was sent over as re-enforcements, and did most excellent service.

On the night of the 26th, I went over to the south side, accompanied by Captain Poe, and made a careful examination of our lines on that side of the river.

On the 27th, the enemy continued active on both sides of the river, indulging in considerable artillery firing, but our men were silent.

On the 28th, he opened a battery on the south side, which partially commanded College Hill and Fort Sanders. About 10 o'clock that night he drove in our pickets in the center of General Ferrero's line, capturing many of them and establishing his line on the crest of the ridge, about 80 yards in front of the fort.

It was now supposed that the enemy intended to make an attack at that point. Orders were issued for the whole command to be on the alert, and a brigade of General Hascall's division was sent during the night to re-enforce General Ferrero. I have before stated that the fort had been placed in most excellent condition for defense. Lieutenant Benjamin, who had bent all his energies to this work, was on the alert during the night, and roused the men at an early hour. They were placed in position, and strict silence enforced. At about 6.30 a.m. the enemy opened a furious fire upon the fort; our batteries remained silent, and the men quietly awaited the attack. The fort was so protected with traverses that only one man was injured during this heavy fire. In about twenty minutes the cannonading ceased and a fire of musketry was opened by the enemy. At the same time a heavy column that had been concentrated under the ridge, near the fort, during the night, charged on the bastions at a run. Great numbers of them fell in passing over the entanglements, but the weight of the column was such as to force the advance forward, and in two or three minutes they had reached the ditch and attempted to scale the parapet.

Our guns opened upon the men in the ditch with triple rounds of canister, and our infantry shot or knocked back all those whose heads appeared above the parapet. The forces placed on the flanks of the fort by General Ferrero had a cross-fire on the ground over which the enemy approached. The first column of attack was re-enforced by a second, which pushed up to the fort as desperately as the first, but were driven back with great slaughter. Most of those who reached the ditch were killed or mortally wounded. Such as could not retreat surrendered; in all, about 500. The ground between the