enemy, in which they used one battery of artillery. This battery was silenced in a very short time by Bush's and Hescock's batteries, of my division, and two of the enemy's pieces disabled.

At sundown I had taken up my position, my right resting in the timber, my left on the Wilkinson pike, and my reserve brigade, of four regiments, to the rear and opposite the center.

The killed and wounded during the day was 75 men.

General Davis' left was closed in on my right, and his line thrown to the rear, so that it formed nearly a right angle with mine. General Negley's division, of Thomas' corps, was immediately on my left, his right resting on the left-hand side of the Wilkinson pike.

The enemy appeared to be in strong force in a heavy cedar wood across an open valley in my front and parallel to it, the cedar extending the whole length of the valley, the distance across the valley varying from 300 to 400 yards.

At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 31st, General Sill, who had command of my right brigade, reported great activity on the part of the enemy immediately in his front. This being the narrowest point in the valley, I was fearful that an attack might occur at that point. I therefore directed two regiments from the reserves to report to General Sill, who placed them in position in very short supporting distance of his lines.

At 4 o'clock in the morning the division was assembled under arms, and the cannoneers at their pieces. About 7.15 o'clock in the morning the enemy advanced to the attack across an open cotton-field, on Sill's front. This column was opened upon by Bush's battery, of Sill's brigade, which had a direct fire on its front; also by Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on its front from a commanding position near the center of my line. The effect of this fire upon the enemy's column was terrible. The enemy, however, continued to advance until they had reached nearly the edge of the timber, when they were opened upon by Sill's infantry, at a range of not over 50 yards. The destruction to the enemy's column, which was closed in mass, being several regiments in depth, was terrible. For a short time they withstood the fire, wavered, then broke and ran, Sill directing his troops to charge, which was gallantly responded to, and the enemy driven back across the valley and behind their intrenchments.

In this charge I had the misfortune to lose General Sill, who was killed. The brigade then fell back in good order and resumed its original lines. The enemy soon rallied and advanced to the attack on my extreme right and in front of Colonel Woodruff, of Davis' division. Here, unfortunately, the brigade of Colonel Woodruff gave way; also one regiment of Sill's brigade, which was in the second line. This regiment fell back some distance into the open field and there rallied, its place being occupied by a third regiment of my reserve.

At this time the enemy, who had made an attack on the extreme right of our wing against Johnson and also on Davis' front, had been successful, and the two divisions on my right were retiring in great confusion, closely followed by the enemy, completely turning my position and exposing my line to a fire from the rear. I hastily withdrew the whole of Sill's brigade and the three regiments sent to support it, at the same time directing Colonel Roberts, of the left brigade, who had changed front and formed in column of regiments, to charge the enemy in the timber from which I had withdrawn those regiments. This was very gallantly done by Colonel Roberts, who captured one piece of the enemy's artillery, which had to be abandoned.