HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND CAVALRY DIV., DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Atlanta, Ga., August 24, 1864.

CAPTAIN: At 1 a. m. on the 18th instant I marched from camp at this place with the First and Second Brigades of the Second Cavalry Division, numbering as under:

Commands Officers Men Total Guns

First Brigade, Colonel R. H. 54 871 925 ....

G. Minty

Second Brigade, Colonel Eli 75 1,308 1,383 ....

Long

Chicago Board of Trade 2 88 90 4

Battery, Lieutenant Robinson

Total 131 2,267 2,398 4

At 6 a. m. I halted on the banks of the Utoy Creek, and in obedience to orders from Brigadier-General Garrard, commanding Second Cavalry Division, reported to Brigadier-General Kilpatrick, commanding Third Cavalry Division, at Sandtown. In accordance with orders from General Kilpatrick I marched at dusk same day, following the Third Division, and marched all night.

August 19, about break of day my advance (the Second Brigade) crossed the Atlanta and Montgomery Railroad. The rear brigade was sharply attacked on the left flank by artillery and dismounted cavalry. The Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry cut through and the column divided. Major Jennings, commanding Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and Major Mix commanding Fourth Michigan Cavalry, attacked the enemy with vigor, drove him from the ground, and reunited the column. At this point I lost 3 ambulances, which were driven into the woods by the drivers and broken. I was here ordered to take the advance with my two brigades and push the enemy, Ross' brigade, to Flint River. The woods were thick, and impracticable for cavalry. The Second Brigade was, therefore, dismounted. We advanced steadily, driving the rebels before us, until we arrived at Flint River, where I found the bridge destroyed, and the enemy in position on the opposite bank. His guns were soon silenced by Lieutenant Bennett's section of the Board of Trade Battery. General Kilpatrick ordered up all the artillery, eight pieces, and shelled the rebel rifle-pits by volleys. After the firing of the fourth volley, my men in line advanced at the double-quick, and took, shelter behind a fence on the bank for the river, and their fire soon drove the enemy from his works. We then crossed on the stringers of the ruined bridge, which was quickly repaired, and one section of the Board of Trade Battery, under Lieutenant Robinson, crossed. I was directed by General Kilpatrick to drive the rebels from, and take possession of, the town of Jonesborough. I deployed the Fourth Michigan as skirmishers. The Fourth United States and First Ohio, with a section of artillery between them, moved in line, and Third and Fourth Ohio followed I advanced, steadily driving the rebels, Ross' and Ferguson's brigades, before me into the town, where they took possession of the houses and opened a sharp fire on us. I ordered the section of artillery into the skirmish line, and directed Lieutenant Robinson to shell every house from which a gun was fired, and in five minutes I had possession of Jonesborough. The railroad buildings were quickly destroyed and a portion of the track torn up. I was then ordered to take position across the railroad, facing toward Atlanta, to cover the Third Divis-