On July 22, 1864, at about 1 p.m., I received orders from General C. R. Woods, commanding First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, of which this brigade forms a part, to march my troops to headquarters Fifteenth Army Corps, where a staff officer of General Logan would be in readiness to assign to the brigade its position. Arriving at the spot assigned, I found Captain Hoover, aide-de-camp to Major-General Logan, in waiting, who conducted the brigade about a mile or more to the left, and assigned as its position the edge of a woods, across a hill, in the center of a gap left between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps. I immediately caused the troops to construct breast-works along their front, which was speedily done, as rails were very abundant at that spot, and threw a strong skirmish force forward to protect our front, give timely warning of an approach of an enemy in force, and take such prisoners as would come within their reach. In the mean time our little-bearers were directed to search to the wood for wounded men who had been left there from the engagement of one four previous. Surg. Joseph Spiegelhalter, Twelfth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, went out to give the matter his personal attention, and succeeded in rescuing and delivering to their friends three wounded men of the Sixteenth Army Corps. At that time the distance of the left of this brigade and the next troops of the Sixteenth Army Corps was at least a quarter of a mile, and the gap on our right to Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, some 200 yards. The Sixteenth Army Corps soon after placed more troops on their right, thus lessening the distance, which troops were, however, soon withdrawn, re-establishing the original gap. Our skirmishers had by this time succeeded in capturing 20 prisoners, of whom 2 were commissioned officers, 1 of whom was wounded before he surrendered. This position the brigade held when Major-General Blair arrived at 4 or 5 p.m. when, after some delay, I was directed by him to close up on Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and report to Brigadier General Giles A. Smith for orders. The skirmishers thrown forward were not withdrawn, to keep up appearances of force, although no support was in their rear. After our right had come up in the direction of the left of Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, General Smith directed a forward movement of the whole brigade, until out right came fully up with the left of his troops, when the right was halted and the whole line performed a half or three-quarters wheel on its right and came to a stand. The whole movement was performed in thick woods and underbrush. The men keeping well closed up, however, a strong line was speedily established. By this movement our left was farther from connection and support than before; at least half a mile of dense forest lay between it and the Sixteenth Army Corps, and night setting in I changed the position of my left by a half left wheel to the rear of my left regiment, and placed the Twenty-ninth Missouri some 150 yards from the left flank of the main line fronting toward the left. Skirmishers were thrown forward to cover our new position and connect with those left the preceding afternoon in their places, who in their turn, as was reported to me, connected with the picket-line of the Sixteenth Corps. About 12.30 a.m. July 23 I was put in possession of twenty-four spades, some picks and axes, and, under instructions from General Smith, commenced fortifying, selecting such a line as my limited number of men could well defend, and being entirely unsupported on the left, refused the works to such an extent that I was sure of