near Buck Head Church. Day's travel, eleven miles. December 3, marched at 12 m., passing near the prisoners' stockade north of Millen; crossed the Augusta railroad at 7 p. m. ; t of the night in assisting the trains over the almost impassable roads, and bivouacked at 4 a. m. December 4. Day's travel, fifteen miles. December 4, marched at 8 a. m. and passed over a very bad road and bivouacked at 7 p. m. Day's travel fifteen miles. December 5, marched at 6 a. m. ; crossed Crooked Creek at dark and bivouacked on east bank. Day's travel, sixteen miles. December 6, marched at 7 a. m. ; progress slow; bivouacked at 7 p. m. Day's travel, nine miles. December 7, marched at 7 a. m. ; 100 wagons assigned to this brigade to assist forward; bivouacked near Springfield at 8 p. m. . Day's travel, ten miles. December 8, marched at 6. 30, division being unencumbered with wheels; somewhat detained by the roads being blockaded; bivouacked at 5 p. m. near Wadley's Mills. Day's travel, ten miles. December 9, marched at 7. 30; at 4 p. m. the brigade was massed in support of First Division, which was confronted by the enemy in works across the road; the enemy was soon routed and the command encamped at about 5 p. m. Day's travel, nine miles. December 10, marched at 10 a. m., this command guarding train; crossed the Charleston railroad at 12 m. ; moved down the Augusta road to within six miles of Savannah and encamped at 3 p. m. Day's travel, ten miles.

December 11, ordered to penetrate to the Savannah River and develop the enemy's line between the Augusta road and the river; marched at 7 a. m. ; moved down the Augusta road to within bout 1,200 yards of a battery of the enemy covering the road; filed left and marched toward the river and parallel to the enemy's line, the One hundred and thirty-seventh New York Volunteers in advance as skirmishers, who engaged those of the enemy's at 10 a. m. The skirmish line was extended to the left by the deployment of the One hundred and second New York Veteran Volunteers, until they reached the river. The skirmish line then closed in on the enemy, but found him strongly posted in the thick woods and in a strong line of pits. The skirmish line was strengthened and ordered to charge the enemy's line, which with loud cheers, was gallantly done. His line was routed and ran back in great disorder, our men following at a rapid run until they were opened upon with canister from a strong fort, which had been concealed from our view by the woods. Our men had reached within seventy-five yards of this work before it was thus discovered to them. They were ordered back to the enemy's line of pits, which was strengthened and held until night, when the command threw up a strong breast-work with pits in advance, and the brigade occupied the line, which was only 150 yards from the fort, as has since been determined by actual measurement (for position of brigade see accompanying map). * December 12, the fort in front of the left of the brigade proved to be an advanced work, covering a canal connecting with the river, and through which the extensive swamps and rice-field in front of the enemy's entire line was flooded. The brigade was subjected to a severe fire of artillery and musketry from this advanced work, and of artillery from his main line. Our works were, however, considerably strengthened and the position maintained. December 13 was a repetition of the experience of the 12th. December 14, at 12 a. m., with Captain Hobart and eight men of his company from the Sixtieth New York Veteran Volunteers, and Captain L. S. Wilson, acting assistant inspector-General of brigade, the commanding officer of brigade, made a close examination

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*For map see p. 308.

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