[CHAP. XLII.

I will be send you a full report of the situation. I have not received the report yet which I ordered the officer commanding the expedition to send, but am expecting it. The new road will be ready for use to-morrow.

With esteem your obedient servant,

JAMES B. STEEDMAN,

Brigadier-General.

FORT WHITAKER, October 12, 1863

Major FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

During the last twenty-four hours nothing of immediate importance has occurred along my lines. About 4 o'clock yesterday evening a regiment of the enemy made its appearance in an open space immediately opposite a section of the Tenth Indian Battery, which opened fire upon them causing them to seek shelter in the woods. Nothing further was seen of them. The firing between the hours of 11 or 12 o'clock last night was occasioned by what was supposed to be a wagon train moving over Lookout Mountain. The rumbling noise was distinctly audible, and lights were seen as if they had been made to assist in the passage of some difficult portion of the road. Captain Aleshire, of the Eighteenth Ohio Battery, opened his Rodman guns upon them, and the lights were extinguished and everything was perfectly quiet; finally, however, the lights reappeared near the white house on the slope of Lookout Mountain, and was again fired upon, and again extinguished. At the time of writing this cannon firing is distinctly head, apparently near where the enemy assaulted our forces on the river a day or two ago. I have sent to know. It must be their cannon. Nothing further transpired.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. C. WHITAKER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier FIRST DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
October 12, 1863.

Major FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fourth Army Corps:

The firing from Fort Whitaker began at the enemy attempting to repair and make anew a battery in easy range of this position. An officer with several workmen came, marked off, and began their work. Some four or six shots drove them, off, several shells bursting immediately in the work. A good force and a battery made its appearance off on the left of the enemy. A few shells drove it away. The enemy's left can be shelled very easily from this point.

There is an indentation in our line, the first from the mouth of he creek. On this the enemy erected night before last a rifle-pit. In the woods to-day, also, new rifle-pits are discovered. Their works, taken on a line running straight from the mouth of the creek east, will be on a straight line with our advance line. This is an advance on their part of from 300 to 400 yards. Must I shell them?

Respectfully, yours,

W. C. WHITAKER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.