Numbers 60. Report of Lieutenant Harvey J. Espy, Sixty-eighth Indiana Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTY-EIGHTH INDIANA VOLUNTEERS, Decatur, Ala., October 31, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part at 2 a. m. on the morning of the 28th instant and was assigned to a position to the right of post headquarters. One hundred men, under the command of Captain G. E. White, were immediately detailed as skirmishers (see report of Captain White, marked A*). The position was retained until 3 p. m., at which time the regiment was ordered to the right of the fort and at 7 p. m. on picket (see report of Captain H. D. Moore, marked B+). The regiment was relieved from picket at 8 p. m. of the 29th. On the morning of the 30th at 10 o'clock the regiment was ordered on a reconnaissance on the Courtland road. It marched three miles from Decatur and supported the cavalry for four hours while they were engaging the enemy quite heavily. At 3 p. m. the regiment was ordered from the field and reached our present encampment at dark. Casualties: Wounded, Private Isaac Rogers, Company D, both things, severe; Private Elwood Kilgore, Company H, right thigh, slight; Private John W. Shafer, Company I, right hip, severe; Private Nelson Hamel, Company E, hand, slight; Private William Brunner, Company A, stomach, slight. I captured 11 Enfield rifle muskets.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. J. ESPY,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Sixty-eighth Indiana Infantry.

Lieutenant P. V. WILKINS,

Acting Aide-de-Camp, Post Decatur, Ala.

Numbers 61. Report of Captain Giles E. White, Sixty-eighth Indiana Infantry.

OCTOBER 28, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report:

I went on the picket-line in front at 5 a. m., with 100 men, my left extending 100 yards to the left of the railroad, and my right resting 100 yards to the right of the Courtland road. Skirmishing commenced immediately very briskly and continued until about 11 a. m., when about forty on the right of my line advanced on the enemy's skirmishers, in connection with a small party sent from the fort that purpose, cutting off their retreat and bringing in a number of prisoners and small-arms. Skirmishing continued until about 12 m., when I was ordered to withdraw my skirmishers and return to camp. Casualties have been reported.

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

GILES E. WHITE,

Captain, Sixty-eighth Indiana Infantry.

Lieutenant Colonel H. J. ESPY,

Commanding Sixty-eighth Indiana.

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*Following.

+See p. 709.

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