we lay, was a grist-mill. Upon the left of this creek immediately in front of our lines was a low ridge covered with small pines, and still beyond this and a ravine which intervened was a high cleared ridge, which was line finally occupied by our troops. This ridge was the key point to the whole position. If held by the enemy we should have been forced to retire beyond Peach Tree Creek. At this time I received orders to relive the One hundred and thirty-sixth York Volunteers Infantry, then covering my front as skirmishers, by a detail from my brigade when the advance should commence. One hundred men, chiefly Spencer riflemen, from the Seventy-ninth Ohio and One hundred and second Illinois Volunteers, under the command of Captain Williamson, Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteers Infantry, were detailed for this duty and held in readiness to advance when orders should be received. While thus formed and waiting I met Colonel Coburn, commanding Second Brigade, who informed me that his skirmishers reported the enemy advancing to attack us and suggested that our line to be advanced to the crest of the small ridge which extended itself in front of his line and a portion of the left of my brigade. I concurred in this suggestion and Colonel C[oburn] immediately went to submit the matter to the brigadier-general commanding the division, and very soon after-ward I received an order in case the enemy advanced to move forward to the crest of the ridge mentioned. Very soon afterward I saw from the high ground where the left of the Second Division rested the enemy's advance push out of the woods and press rapidly toward us. I at once ordered my brigade to advance to the crest of the small ridge in our front and there to half, which was speedily accomplished. Returning to my post of observation, I watched the enemy's advance over the crest of the higher ridge in our front and down its slope toward us until their lines were scarcely separated by a distance of 100 yards from ours. During this advance the artillery on the Second Division had been pouring into the enemy quite a destructive fire of case-shot and shell, and the skirmishers on my front, re-enforced by the detail of 100 Spencer rifles, which I ordered forward at the beginning of the attack, were punishing the enemy severely. This, together with the long distance the enemy had charged over on the double-quick, had broken his front line to some extent and I could observe many of his men lying down and few even turning back, while the officers, with drawn swords, were trying to steady their lines and push them forward. Believing it to be of vital importance to strike a counter-blow before the rear lines of the enemy came up, and while his advance was in disorder, and to secure the high ridge in our front, I sent Captain Dunlevy, acting assistant adjutant-general, to order my three on the left of the small creek which intersected my line to advance and attack the enemy vigorously, while at the same time I brought forward the two right regiments to the farther slope of the hill, which at this point had not been passed by the enemy, in order to cover the left of General Geary's line and to connect with my left when it when it should push the enemy back over the crest. The order borne by Captain Dunlevy was promptly and vigorously executed by the regiments on the left. Our advance, though desperately resisted by the enemy, was steady and unfaltering; the fighting was hand to hand, and step by step; the enemy was pushed back over the crest in our front and the key-point of the battle-field