the "useless effusion of blood" as soon as it was agreeable to General French. This answer was followed by an attack, which was prolonged for five hours, resulting in the complete repulse of the enemy, who left his dead on the ground, amounting to more than 200, and 400 prisoners, well and wounded. The "effusion of blood" was not" useless", as the position at Allatoona was and is very important to our present and future operations. The thanks of this army are due, and are hereby accorded, to General Corse, Colonel Tourtellotte, officers and men, for their determined and gallant defense of Allatoona, and it is made an example to illustrate the importance of preparing in time and meeting the danger, when present, boldly, manfully, and well. This army, though unseen to the garrison, was co-operating by moving toward the road by which the enemy could alone escape, but unfortunately was delayed by the rain and mud, but this fact hastened the retreat of the enemy. Commanders and garrisons of the posts along our railroads are hereby instructed that they must hold their posts along our railroads are hereby instructed that they must hold their posts to the last minutes, sure that the time gained is valuable and necessary to their comrades at the front.

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

L. M. DAYTON,

Aide-de-Camp.

Numbers 93. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Roger Martin, Sixty- sixth Indiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
Rome, Ga., October 10, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit, in compliance with circular from your headquarters of this date, the following report of the part taken by the regiments of this command in the engagement at Allatoona, Ga., October 5, 1864, and also of the marches connected with the movement:

Although this command, in obedience to orders from General Corse, commanding DIVISION, was in readiness to move the night of the 4th instant, the train that was to convey this brigade to Allatoona, owing to an accident, did not arrive at this place until nearly 9 p. m. the 6th instant, and then there were only seven cars-three box cars, two platform cars, and two cabooses. Two companies of the Seventh Iowa Infantry were immediately embarked, with the FIFTY- seventh Illinois Infantry of the THIRD Brigade, and forwarded to the break in the railroad. On the return of the train at 12 m. the remainder of the Seventh Iowa Infantry, Major Samuel Mahon commanding, and four companies of the FIFTY-second Illinois Infantry, under command of Major W. Boyd, were sent forward. At 3 p. m. the train returned and the remaining five companies of the FIFTY-second Illinois Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel E. A. Bowen commanding, and five companies of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, Captain D. M. Jordan, commanding, were immediately embarked. I accompanied this train, leaving Captain Morris, Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, to bring forward the remainder of the Sixty-sixth Indiana and the Second Iowa Infantry, Captain John A. Duckworth commanding. I reached the break in the road at 5 p. m. and found that the Seventh Iowa Infantry and the four companies of the FIFTY-second Illinois Infantry, under command of Major W. Boyd, of the