praise of the troops of my command for conduct throughout the entire day. Officers and men performed their whole duty. The loss sustained by the brigade during the charge made to regain our works was 32 killed and wounded; 1 commissioned officer shot dead on the field, while nobly in performance of his duty, and 1 very severely wounded.

The next morning I was relieved by a brigade from the Twenty-third Army Corps, and moved back on the Decatur road, two miles from that town, taking position almost on the extreme flank of our army, with Second Brigade on my right and brigade of Sixteenth Corps on my left. Being relieved here (though I may mention my brigade spent one entire day in thoroughly destroying the Atlanta and August Railroad from Decatur some three miles running west) I moved, with other troops of the division, to the extreme right of the army, and on the morning of 28th of July formed my brigade in two lines, placing the Twenty-seventh Missouri and Twenty-sixth Iowa in the advance, in an open corn-field, connecting with the Seventeenth Army Corps on my left and Second Brigade of First Division on my right. This was about three miles west by south from Atlanta. Skirmishers were at once thrown forward, but met few of the enemy. About 8 o'clock the line moved forward, and advanced through the heavy timber for the distance of half a mile our skirmishers continuing to meet with but slight opposition. Here it became evident we were approaching the enemy's position, and we moved with the necessary precaution, skirmishers gradually feeling their ground. At 12 o'clock the line was halted on a ridge of timber land, in front of which was a gentle valley of open country, rising again on the opposite side in timber, about half a mile distant, where it was evident the enemy had taken position. Their skirmishers, at first occupying the field, were soon driven to the timber land by the bold advance of our own, who were at once advantageously posted. The enemy now, by musketry and artillery, manifested himself off on our extreme right, and my two regiments in the front line were at once ordered to throw up works with such tools as could be obtained. The works was not completed before the firing indicated a gradual approach to our position. Soon the right of the division becoming hotly engaged, one of my reserve regiments, the Seventy-sixth Ohio, was dispatched as an additional reserve to that line, no demonstration being made in my immediate front. Advantage was now taken to strengthen my works and prepare for the attack that threatened my line. My brigade thus lay throughout the afternoon, the troops not becoming engaged, although my skirmishers did good work from time to time engaging the attention of the enemy and guarding against any movement on their part directed toward my line. At night and the next day I continued to strengthen my lines, when I was relieved by the Seventeenth Corps, and moved to the right to position in reserve since occupied.

The loss in the brigade during this day was 2 commissioned officers and 10 enlisted men wounded.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MILO SMITH,

Colonel Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry, Commanding Brigade.

Captain W. A. GORDON,

Asst. Adjt. General, First Div., Fifteenth Army Corps.