warning, and reported in person to Brigadier-General Judah's headquarters. Ascertaining that he was absent on some portion of the division line, I reported to Brigadier-General Cox for permission to move out the two regiments in reserve to the assistance of those in advance, which permission I obtained. Without waiting for the execution if this order I moved to the front myself, when I found that the enemy had been repulsed with a loss of about 15 killed and wounded. This latter information I obtained from a private soldier of the Twenty-third Michigan, who was at a house in advance of the line and who secreted himself from the enemy during the engagement, but saw the killed and wounded as they were brought back by the rebels.

Our losses are as follows: Thirteenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, 5 enlisted men captured; Twenty-third Michigan, 6 enlisted men captured and 1 mortally wounded.

I would very respectfully draw your attention to the necessity of having mounted vedettes stationed in advance of our line to prevent a recurrence of similar attacks, or at least give warning, that we may be prepared to receive them. With the force under my command it is utterly impossible to keep my line sufficiently strong at all points to resist such attacks, and it is absolutely necessary that I should have some warning to re-enforce such portions of the line as may be attacked.

My line is about 2 miles, and with only two regiments on picket duty, numbering 725 enlisted men for duty, you can at once see the impracticability of my forming a line at all points sufficiently strong to resist a cavalry charge.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

M. W. CHAPIN,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain R. C. KISE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Knoxville, Tenn., January 28, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

The statements embodied in the within communication relative to liability of my picket-lines to incursions from the enemy's cavalry are concurred in.

H. M. JUDAH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Numbers 2. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin P. Estet, Thirteenth Kentucky Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTEENTH KENTUCKY VOL. INFANTRY,
Five Miles from Knoxville, Tenn., January 28, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report to you that, on yesterday, January 27, at 2,30 p. m., a body of cavalry, supposed to be a full battalion, made a charge on my right, driving in my outposts and capturing 1