Fourth Corps. When I got to the position designated, that corps was already four miles out from the town. My line when formed connected with the right of Brigadier-General Wood, my right resting on the railroad. During the afternoon previous to my arrival, I was informed that the enemy had displayed quite a formidable line of battle, but before my division reached the ground it had been retired from view. May 20, on this morning the rebel force was found to have gain fallen back, having succeeded in passing his trains over the Etowah River at or near the railroad bridge, which was afterward destroyed. Throughout this and the two following days our troops remained in position, fitting themselves with supplies, so as to be able to quit the railroad and move upon the enemy's flank. On the 22d, the Ninth Ohio Regiment, of the Second Brigade, whose term of service had expired, went North for the purpose of being mustered out. At the same time the Twenty-fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers from the First Brigade, and the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteers from the Third Brigade, were detached and left in garrison at Kingston. The Twenty-fourth Illinois never afterward rejoined the command, as its term of service soon expired. May 23, my division again marched and, crossing the Etowah at Island Ford, encamped on Euharlee Creek. From this time until the end of the month we remained in rear guarding or escorting trains, generally not far from Burnt Hickory.

June 1, leaving the First Brigade in charge of the trains at Burnt Hickory, I marched to the front with the other two and joined the main army, then going into position on the line running northerly from Dallas toward Acworth, east of Pumpkin Vine Creek. June 2, having relieved a portion of the First Division, Fourteenth Corps. and extended the line to the left, I at once advanced my front to a more commanding position and intrenched. We were then in close proximity to the strongly constructed works of the enemy, my right connecting with the First Division Fourteenth Corps, and Major-General Schofield operating at a little distance on my left. During the 3rd and 4th my men worked constantly, both night and day, advancing our lines by pushing our skirmishers to the front, and then intrenching the troops upon the ground which they had gained. I thus with trifling loss, drove the rebel skirmishers into their main works and put up batteries within short range of them. June 5, at daybreak, it was discovered that the enemy had withdrawn under the cover of night, abandoning a line of elaborately constructed field-works of great strength. We received no orders to pursue, but remained all day in our position. June 6, we again marched to the front upon the Burnt Hickory and Big Shanty road, and at night I got into line on the left of the Twentieth Corps near Durham's house. Continuing at this point until the morning of the 10th, the First Brigade, relieved from duty with the trains, came up and joined the and Twenty-fourth Illinois, by expiration of service. The Tenth Indiana, of the Third Brigade, came up to us about the same time. June 10, this division marched at 6 a.m. in front of the corps, the Arm of the Tennessee on our left, moving along the railroad. We took such roads as we could parallel to it, and, after crossing Procter's Creek at the old mill, our advance guard of the Third Brigade soon struck the rebel skirmishers. These were readily driven back, and my line formed upon an eminence in front of Pine Mountain, in full

47 R R-VOL XXXVIII, PT I