My men behaved admirably throughout the fight, and were everything I could wish. Lieutenant Butler, the only officer with me, distinguished himself by his cool and gallant conduct, and rendered me the most essential service.

Hoping this will prove satisfactory, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. L. D. RUSSELL,

First Lieutenant, Fourth Artillery, Comdg. Company M.

Major MENDENHALL,

Chief of Artillery, Twenty-first Army Corps.

Numbers 178.

Report of Brig. General Horatio P. Van Cleve, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY-FIRST, ARMY CORPS, Chattanooga, Tenn., September 30, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division from the 4th to the 21st of September:

On the 4th, by your order, I crossed the Tennessee at Shellmound with the First and Third Brigades, the Second Brigade being at McMinnville.

On the 5th, we marched to Whiteside's. Then, by your order, I left Colonel Price, with the Twenty-first Kentucky, to guard the road, and we marched a few miles southeast with the balance of the command.

On the 9th, we marched toward Chattanooga, and learning that it had been evacuated by the enemy, we turned to the left, after crossing Lookout Mountain, and marched to Rossville.

On the 10th, we marched toward Ringgold, and encamped in the valley of Pea Vine Creek. Was joined by Colonel Dick, with the Second Brigade, on the 11th. We continued our march, and at Ringgold, meeting the rebels, under Forrest, drove them before us. At this time Colonel Sid. M. Barnes was in the advance, and handled his brigade very handsomely. At Ringgold, while waiting for General Palmer, who was marching by way of Graysville, Colonel Wilder passed me, following the enemy toward Dalton.

The rebels destroyed the railroad bridges across the Chickamauga, some four or five, as they fell back before us. I encamped that night 3 miles beyond Ringgold, on the road toward Dalton. The next day, the 12th, I marched back to Ringgold, and, by the way of Peeler's Factory, went to Gordon's Mills, on the Chattanooga and La Fayette road. Here I found General Wood, with his division and in the evening was again joined by General Palmer.

On the 13th, by your order, I made a reconnaissance with my division 3 miles toward La Fayette. We met the rebel cavalry immediately after passing our picket line, and with sharp skirmishing drove them back. Two privates of the Nineteenth Ohio were mortally wounded by a solid shot. Captain Drury, chief of artillery, and Lieutenant Clark, Company G, Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, were seriously wounded. The loss of the enemy is not known. In this reconnaissance, General Beatty was in advance and managed his command well.

On the 14th, I marched to Chattanooga Creek Valley, and on the