Numbers 20.

Reports of Colonel Benjamin F. Scribner, Thirty-eighth Indiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FIRST DIV., 14TH ARMY CORPS, Camp near Cassandra, Ga., September 13, 1863.

CAPTAIN: Pursuant to orders I moved forward from the foot of Lookout Mountain with my command, consisting of the Thirty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel O. F. Moore; Thirty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel D. F. Griffin; Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Ely; Ninety-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Major R. P. Hutchins, and the First Michigan Battery, First Lieutenant G. W. Van Pelt [the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel O. C. Maxwell, having been left on the mountain to guard the train], on the morning of the 11th instant, on the Dug Gap road, and at 10 a.m. arrived at the crossing of the Chattanooga and Bird's Gap road at Widow Davis' place. Upon arrival, after several changes of position, I finally took up a position with my right resting in the woods about 500 yards east of the Chattanooga road and my left on the road, forming a junction with the Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Starkweather commanding, the two brigades, forming the hypotenuse of the angle made by the Dug Gap and Chattanooga roads, in a dense wood filled with undergrowth. My line was thus disposed: The Thirty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry with their left resting on the road, and Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry on the right of the Thirty-eighth Indiana, formed the first line. The Ninety-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and Thirty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry formed the second line; the battery in position at the crossing of the roads; the skirmishers covering my front, thrown forward through the woods to a field; the enemy's skirmishers opposite in a wood beyond.

Sharp skirmishing was kept up along the entire line for the space of two hours. Being heavier on the left, it soon became manifest that the enemy designed turning our left. Lieutenant-Colonel Griffin reported that they were enfilading him on the left, upon which I immediately ordered him to extend his line of skirmishers farther to the left, which order was promptly obeyed.

Upon being notified by the general commanding that he had received information of a heavy column of the enemy moving around our left to our rear, and of his orders to retire my line to a point in the woods parallel to the road, I immediately did so, thus placing my right near the Dug Gap road, forming our line of retreat, from which position we retired down the road on which we came. Great praise is due the men and officers of my command for their skill and coolness in the execution of this hazardous movement, the skirmishers on our left boldly holding their position from the enemy, whose skirmish-line was pressing on with a strong force of artillery, infantry, and cavalry behind them. Five men of the skirmishers on the left were captured by the enemy's cavalry, and were carried along with them in their charge until opened upon by Colonel Mihalotzy's command, which was in ambush behind the stone wall near Chickamauga Creek, when they were dispersed and the prisoners retaken.

Near this place I was ordered by Major-General Negley to move on with two regiments on the right of the wagon train, leaving two