Key Terrain: American River Fortifications

"Gates’ right occupied the brow of the hill near the river, with which it was connected by a deep entrenchment; his camp, in the form of a segment of a great circle, the convex toward the enemy, extended rather obliquely to his rear, about three-fourths of a mile to a knoll occupied by his left; his front was covered from the right to the left of the centre, by a sharp ravine running parallel with his line and closely wooded: from thence to the knoll at his extreme left, the ground was partially cleared, some of the trees being felled and others girdled, beyond which in front of his left flank, and extending to the enemy’s right....The extremities of this camp were defended by stoney batteries, and the interval was strengthened by breastwork without entrenchments, constructed of the bodies of felled trees, logs, and rails with an additional battery at an opening left of the center. The right was almost impracticable; the left difficult of approach."