but a short distance when they were driven back by the enemy's line of battle then advancing on us. As soon as the skirmish company had taken its place in line, bayonets were fixed and the line moved forward, the Twenty-seventh Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry being on our right. Reaching the crest of the hill,and coming in sight of the enemy, the double-quick was taken and a spirited charge made on their line, which had advanced some distance into the open field. They were driven back in disorder to the woods,and by the time we reached a small ravine in our front, had retired to a second ridge. The ground over which we passed was clear of all obstructions,and the lines easily preserved. Before reaching the woods I discovered the enemy firing on us from the right and rear, and for this reason deemed it prudent to halt at the edge of the woods. On communicating this fact to General Fuller I was ordered by him to face by the right, file right,and present a front to the flank fire. In endeavoring to execute this movement the regiment was thrown into some disorder,and in order to rectify this I gave the order to face about and retire to the crest of the hill,when the line was reformed without much difficulty,though the enemy's fire was severe. We had held this position some time,keeping up a steady fire to our right and frond until many of the men were entirely out of ammunition, when I ordered the regiment to lie down and reserve fire until a supply could be obtained. I think we must have remained in this exposed position for some fifteen or twenty minutes before the cartridges could be got to us. We held this position, our line some hundred yards in advance of our first position during the entire engagement, or until about 4.30 o'clock, when we withdrew in order across the field, and formed on the right of the Fifty-second Illinois Volunteers.

The conduct of officers and men was entirely satisfactory.

The loss of the regiment in this engagement was as follows: 5 officers wounded, 15 enlisted men killed, 98 wounded,and 5 missing.

I have the honor to be captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. T. McDOWELL,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment

No. 557.

Report of Brigadier General John W. Sprague, U. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS, Near Lovejoy's Station, Ga., September 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders from superior headquarters, I have the honor to transmit the following report of operations of this command from May 1 last to the present time:

On the 1st of May, 1864, this brigade consisted of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, Colonel Milton Montgomery commanding; the Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers, Colonel J. J. Cladek commanding; Forty-third Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Wager Swayne commanding and the Sixty third Ohio Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Brown commanding. The aggregate present of the brigade was at the date