[CHAP. XLII.

HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., 21ST ARMY CORPS,
Camp at Chattanooga, Tenn., September 27, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to make a brief report of the part this brigade took in the recent engagement with the enemy.

I crossed the Tennessee River at the mouth of Battle Creek, on the night of the 3rd of September, by means of log rafts, sending most of my train by way of Bridgeport, 6 miles below, to cross on the bridge. I passed over without any loss of either men or property. My command consisted of the Sixth Ohio, Colonel N. L. Anderson; Eighty-fourth Illinois, Colonel L. H. Waters; Twenty-fourth Ohio, Colonel D. J. Higgins; Thirty-sixth Indiana, Lieut, Colonel O. H. P. Carey; Twenty-third Kentucky, Lieutenant Colonel James C. Foy. Aggregate officers and men, including staff, 1,687; to which were attached Batteries H and M, Fourth U. S. Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Cushing and Russell (ten pieces). In conjunction with the division we marched thence to Shellmound, to Squirreltown Creek, and thence to Lookout Valley, and on the morning of the 9th instant, with the Twenty-fourth Ohio, Twenty-third Kentucky, and Eighty-fourth Illinois, I ascended or rather climbed upon Lookout Mountain near Hawkins' farm, 9 miles to the right of Chattanooga, and met and drove the enemy front the mountain with no loss to my force. The enemy left the mountain to the northeast via Summertown. Cavalry was all that I found on the mountain. As I reached the point of the mountain overlooking Chattanooga, the remainder of my brigade with the First Brigade, General Cruft, and General Wood's division were entering the city. I may here notice Captain Isaac N. Dryden, of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, and his company for daring bravery in the advance in ascending the mountain and driving and punishing the enemy. With light but successful skirmishing near Graysville, Ringgold, and Chickamauga Creek, and a reconnaissance from the latter to Worthen's farm to a pass in Pigeon Mountain, I was directed on the morning of the 19th instant to make a reconnaissance below Lee and Gordon's Mills, on the Chickamauga Creek, in the State of Georgia, which I did and found the enemy in force, and on receiving orders I withdrew the brigade, joined the column, and with it moved upon the enemy into an open woodland to the right of the road leading toward Chattanooga. My position happened to be on a small elevation, General Cruft's brigade to my left, and General Reynolds' division on my right.

We met the enemy's lines about 12 m. My brigade was formed in double lines, the Twenty-fourth Ohio, Colonel Higgins, and the Twenty-third Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Foy, in the front line; the Thirty-sixth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Carey, and the Eighty-fourth Illinois, Colonel Waters, in the rear line; the Sixth Ohio, Colonel Anderson, in reserve. On meeting the enemy with the front line the troops on the right of my brigade gave way, and the Thirty-sixth Indiana was immediately changed to the right to defend the flank, and in a very few minutes the enemy passed so far to my right and rear that the Sixth Ohio, as well as the Thirty-sixth Indiana, Twenty-fourth Ohio, and Twenty-third Kentucky, were all desperately engaged and so continued for two long hours. Here was the best fighting and least falling out (except the killed and wounded) that I ever witnessed. Finally the ammunition of these four regiments gave out, and there being none at hand (bad luck) they had to be retired. Now came the time for the Eighty-fourth Illinois to