Battery, and First Iowa Battery were sent to Chattanooga and Nashville. Materially lightened up we left Little River for the vicinity of the railroad bridge across Chattahoochee River on the morning of the 29th, crossing the Coosa River on a pontoon bridge at Cedar Bluff. As the Fifteenth Army Corps was the last to cross that steam the bridge was destroyed after our passage. The route indicated for the corps formed the right of the marching columns and led through Cave Springs, Cedartown, Yellow Stone, thence crossing the Dugdown Mountain, New Babylon, Powder Springs, and Vining's Station on the Georgia railroad. On November 5 we reached that point without having met with any other opposition than a few cavalry at Cedartown. I beg leave to refer to the accompanying map exhibiting the line of march. *

The pursuant of General Hood had been given up at Little River, and we now received orders to prepare for another long and difficult march. The refitting, the supplying with rations, the paying off of the troops, and other administrative business connected with our army, was, under your orders, expedited as much as possible, and when, on November 12, the order was given to destroy the railroad, which was the opening act preparatory to the expected march through Georgia, the command was in complete trim.

The effective strength at that time was-

Infantry: First DIVISION, Brigadier General C. R. Woods commanding, 4,376 men; Second DIVISION, Brigadier General W. B. Hazen commanding, 3,308 men; THIRD DIVISION, Brigadier General John E. Smith commanding, 3,659; Fourth DIVISION, Brigadier General J. M. Corse commanding, 3,710 men; total infantry, 15,553. Artillery: Battery H, First Illinois Artillery, Captain F. De Gress, four 20-pounder Parrotts; Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, Captain Zickerick, four light 12-pounders; Battery B, First Michigan Artillery, Captain Arndt, four 3-inch Rodmans; Battery H, First Missouri Artillery, Lieutenant J. F. Brunner, six light 12- pounders; total pieces, 18.

Having no cavalry attached to the corps and being placed on the flank, I had, with the permission of the major-general commanding Army of the Tennessee, ordered to Twenty-ninth Missouri Infantry, Colonel Gage commanding, to be mounted. The experiment was very satisfactory, and the commanding officer deserves credit for his zeal and energy in protecting and assisting subsequent movements of the corps. The railroad was most effectually destroyed in the afternoon of the 12th and during the following night.

On the morning of the 13th we left in two columns for White Hall (Atlanta), General Hazen by Turner's Ferry, General Woods by the pontoon near the railroad bridge. The THIRD and Fourth DIVISIONS (Generals Smith and Corse) received orders to leave their different stations on the railroad and to join the corps at Atlanta. General Smith's DIVISION arrived on November 14, splendidly equipped in everything. General Corse's DIVISION, on account of its great distance, could not reach Atlanta as soon, but the energetic commander assured me that he would try to make the junction after the first days' march. +

I remain your obedient servant,

P. JOS. OSTERHAUS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

Captain SAMUEL L. TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*Not found.

+For continuation of report, relating to the Savannah campaign, see Vol. XLIV, Part I.

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