The fortified approaches toward us and on a line with the overhanging ledge of the point above, were occupied by Churchill's old brigade of Alabamians and Georgians, now commanded by General Maney.

Perceiving from the first the vital advantage to be gained by keeping my right firm against the barrier of the mountain top, it was kept solid and closely hugged it. By the peculiar curvature of the rocks, diverging inwardly toward the point (in a northeasterly direction), my right (Cobham's) being the inner line, made necessarily more advance distance, with less marching, than the balance of the line. Every pace of the extreme right had the advantage of progress in a ration of nearly 50 per cent, and double that over the left. I early perceived the additional point of strength attendant upon this formation for, whenever the center attacked the enemy in front, my right was continually on his flank, and outflanked, with withering enfilading fire, his every position, which combination compelled him to yield with brief resistance as long as we continued to advance.

General Whitaker maintained his assigned position, following the inclination, his right resting, as originally, in the rear of Cobham's center, until the latter turned the angle of the ridge, where the precipice admitted of foot-hold only under most trying labor, when his right guide in support was Ireland's right in front. It is gratifying to me, and illustrative of the unaccountable accomplishments capable to determined energy, to observe that, notwithstanding all embarrassments, my column reached the base of Lookout Point in fine military order, with the precise formation it had originally shown in rest.

Before reaching our new antagonist my right encountered the almost perpendicular pyramid of Lookout Point, and, faithful to the policy of having the tangible rock for the flank to rest upon,the line obliqued to the right continually. As we rounded the curvature between the lower ridge and uppermost ledge, this was effected with a steadiness and regularity worthy the highest meed of praise. It brought us to the most elevated accessible point of the mountain, short of the great coronal itself.

Before this, however, was completed a rebel regiment was observed making a hasty descent through a pass from the westerly crest down upon our flank. The Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania immediately changed front to rear and met them with a full front, and, instead of charging upon and and disordering an important flank, they encountered a line which returned their first and only volley with interest. Their movement was counteracted beyond hope, and every man of them surrendered without a second fire.

At this time Major Reynolds again opened with his batteries upon the enemy's fortifications and created some commotion among them, the missiles flying over our troops into the enemy's line.

The artillery soon ceased, as Ireland's, and Cobham's left, with wild, prolonged cheers, charged the fortifications held by Maney, as they had done with Walthall's, and who offered a stout resistance, but only for a brief period, for Ireland pressed them hotly, in the face of their fierce volleys, at close quarters, while our men fell rapidly, and Cobham poured in his flanking fire from the ever advanced right with such telling effect that they sullenly fell back from work to work, driven successively from each strong lodgment by a continuance of pressure on front and flank. His temporary stands and retrograde movements cost the enemy large numbers in killed,