lina shore. Two pieces of artillery, Battery I, First New York, were ordered to report to me, and were put into position. During the night received orders from Brigadier-General Williams, commanding corps, to cross my brigade to the South Carolina shore, and take up position near the river, threatening the Savannah and Charleston pike. Later in the evening this order was countermanded, and an order given to send 100 men only and cross them in small boats. December 17, I found it impossible to cross 100 men in small, not having enough for the purpose, and the low state of the tide not warranting the use of the large barges. Nothing special occurred during the day, save a desultory fire on our position by a light battery of General Wheeler's cavalry command, which had now taken up position on the South Carolina shore opposite us. December 18, remained in same position on Argyle Island, with slight shelling from General Wheeler's guns. December 19, under orders from the brigadier-General commanding division, the Third Wisconsin, Second Massachusetts, and Thirtieth New Jersey, all under command of Colonel Hawley, were sent over to the South Carolina shore at daybreak. They landed without opposition, and, advancing to and beyond Izard's Mill, succeeded, after a slight skirmish, in securing and good position. Deeming the force too inadequate to maintain its ground against the accumulating force of the enemy, the One hundred and seventh New York was sent over in the afternoon and succeeded in gaining an important point on the line. So important did the enemy consider this position that they charged our forces with their cavalry, but were speedily driven off. I thin moved the remaining regiment of the brigade, One hundred and fiftieth New York Volunteers, to the South Carolina shore, and established there my headquarters at Izard's Mill. The position occupied by the brigade was strong for defense, but the nature of the ground was such that an advance was difficult. It was a rice plantation, cut up by numerous dikes and canals, and the enemy had burned all the bridges over the canals and overflowed the whole plantation to a depth of eight to eighteen inches water, thus necessitating all our movements by the flank up these dikes, and they stood well prepared at these places to resist our advance. During the night I transported the two pieces of artillery across the river and put them in position in the center of the line. The line, as then formed and held by my brigade, was two miles and a quarter long, the left resting on the Savannah River near Izard's Mill, the right on an inlet near Clydesdale Creek. During the night I caused earth-works to be thrown up at al the prominent points along the line, making my position as strong as possible. December 20, in obedience to orders from the brigadier-General commanding division to determine the position of Clydesdale Creek with reference to my line, I detailed twelve companies of the brigade, under immediate command of Colonel Hawley, Third Wisconsin Volunteers, and accompanied them myself. The force succeeded in reaching Clydesdale Creek with the loss of one man killed, and after erecting works for one regiment and posting therein two companies of Thirteenth New Jersey Volunteers, an effort was made to strike the Savannah and Hardeeville road, but the enemy, anticipating the moment, had thrown a strong force in our front. Having a canal to cross under their fire if we advanced I ordered the detachment to withdraw. During the day a great number of vehicles of all descriptions were seen passing our front, moving from Savannah toward Hardeeville, which fact was reported to the headquarters of the division. In the afternoon a rebel gun-boat came up the river in our rear and threw about thirty shells in my brigade, killing one