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Ohio lost by capture a foraging-party of one officer and eleven men.
On the fourth, near Statesboro, the foragers met a brigade of the enemy's cavalry endeavoring to join Wheeler; were attacked by them, and driven to the main column, losing by capture twenty-seven, and by wounds, eight.
The enemy lost two killed and two captured.
The enemy defended the crossing of the Cannouchee with infantry and two pieces of artillery, having burned the bridge.
During the night of the eighth, the enemy retired, and the bridge being repaired, at eleven A. M. the ninth, two brigades were crossed, one pushed to King's Bridge, the other to a point on the Gulf Railroad about six miles from King's Bridge, which was reached, and much of the road destroyed toward the river, by night, including the bridge.
On the tenth, the division re-crossed the Cannouchee, moving to and crossing the Ogeechee at Dillon's Ferry, and proceeding to near the Anderson plantation, nine miles from Savannah.
On the twelfth, the division moved back to King's Bridge, it having received orders to cross the Ogeechee there, and move down its right bank to Fort McAllister, and capture it.
At daybreak the thirteenth, the troops were put in motion, reaching the vicinity of McAllister at about eleven A. M. About one mile from the Fort a picket was captured, revealing the whereabouts of a line of torpedoes across the road.
Some time was lost in safely removing them, when, leaving eight regiments at that point, nine were carried forward to about six hundred yards from the Fort, and deployed, with a line of skirmishers thrown sufficiently near the Fort to keep the gunners from working their guns with any effect; those firing to the rear being in barbette.
The grounds to the right of the Fort being marshy, cut through by deep streams, rendered the deployment of that part of the line slow and difficult, and was not completely effected till forty-five minutes past four P. M., at which time, every officer and man of the nine regiments being instructed what to do, the bugle sounded the forward, and at precisely five o'clock the Fort was carried.
The troops were deployed in our line as thin as possible, the result being that no man in the assault was struck till they came to close quarters.
Here the fighting became desperate and deadly.
Just outside the works, a line of torpedoes had been placed, many of which were exploded by the tread of the troops, blowing many men to atoms; but the line moved on without checking, over, under, and through abattis, ditches, palisading, and parapet, fighting the garrison through the Fort to their bomb-proofs, from which they still fought, and only succumbed as each man was individually overpowered.
Our losses were, twenty-four officers and men killed, and one hundred and ten officers and men wounded.
Captain John H. Groce, Thirtieth Ohio, an officer of many rare and valuable qualities, and who led the first assault on Vicksburgh, was killed; and Colonel Wells S. Jones, Fifty-third Ohio, commanding brigade, severely wounded.
The regiments most conspicuous in their gallantry, were the Seventieth, Forty-seventh, and Thirtieth Ohio.
All the rest performed their duty equally well.
After the proper commander of the Second brigade fell, Colonel James S. Martin, One Hundred and Eleventh Illinois, assumed command of it, led it in the assault, rendering distinguished service.
Colonel A. C. Parry, Forty-seventh Ohio, and Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips, Seventieth Ohio, were also conspicuous in their performance of duty.
Major Thomas T. Taylor, Forty-seventh Ohio, Acting Judge-Advocate of this division, preferring to serve with his regiment in the campaign, was severely wounded while fighting in the Fort.
The captures were as follows: The garrison, including killed, two hundred and fifty men and officers; twenty-four pieces of ordnance, with their equipments; forty tons of ammunition; a month's supply of food for the garrison; the small-arms of the command; all the animals and equipments of a light battery; the horses of the officers, and a large amount of private stores, placed in the Fort for safety.
To my entire staff especial praise is due, for their faithful and efficient conduct during the entire campaign.
After the fall of McAllister, the division was directed to destroy the Gulf Railroad for a distance of twenty miles west of the Ogeechee, which it proceeded to do in the most thorough manner, completing the work December twenty-first.
I would respectfully call attention to accompanying reports of brigade commanders.
Also to drawing of Fort McAllister, and a map of the country passed over.
The supply-train of this division on leaving Atlanta consisted of eighty-three six-mule wagons.
I transferred to other commands, after reaching the vicinity of this place, twenty-two thousand rations.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. B. Hazen, Brigadier-General.
General Corse's Report.
headquarters Fourth division, Fifteenth army corps, Rome, Ga., October 27, 1864.
Captain: I have the honor to make the following report of operations of this division since the twenty-fifth day of September, 1864, at which time two brigades of the division were lying at East-Point, Georgia, with the troops of our corps and department.
The Third brigade, Colonel Richard Rowett commanding, garrisoned Rome, Georgia, on the twenty-sixth of September, ultimo.
In pursuance to orders from Major-General Howard, I moved that portion of the division at East-Point to Rome via Atlanta, where we obtained transportation, and arrived 