About 12 o'clock at night, the rebel pickets advanced,and there was considerable firing, in which some men were killed and wounded. Among the latter was Colonel Geza Mihalotzy, the gallant colonel of the Twenty-fourth Illinois. I regret to report that he has since died.

February 26, were remained holding our position, keeping up constant firing with our sharpshooters. At night I received an order to fall back to Catoosa.

February 27, was ordered to march to and take post at Tyner's Station, which place I reached same day.

The officers and men of my command discharged every duty faithfully, and to each and all my thanks are due.

Loss: Commissioned officers killed, 1; enlisted men killed, 6; total killed, 7; enlisted men wounded, 6; total wounded, 6; total killed and wounded, 13.

I transmit herewith the sub-reports.

If I fully understand the object of the movement it was eminently successful. From prisoners captured I learned that several divisions sent to operate against General Sherman were ordered back to Dalton, and the rebel army under Johnston was in full force and prepared for battle. Sherman was relieved and enabled to finish his undertaking satisfactorily.

Very respectfully,

R. W. JOHNSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Major D. W. NORTON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 18. Report of Brigadier General William P. Carlin, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 14TH ARMY CORPS,
Graysville, Ga., March 27, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to instructions from Brigadier General R. W. Johnson, commanding the division, I have the honor to report the part taken by the troops of this brigade in the offensive reconnaissance toward Dalton, Ga., from chattanooga, in February last.

Leaving the latter place on the 22nd of February, we marched to Ringgold, Ga., and camped.

On the 23rd, I moved through the gap to a point near Catoosa Station, where I received verbal instructions from Major-General Palmer to advance on the Dalton road and support Colonel Harrison's mounted infantry (Thirty-ninth Indiana), and to go on to Tunnel Hill and see what was there. About 2 miles beyond Catoosa Station I met Colonel Harrison falling back before superior numbers of rebel cavalry, under General Wheeler. Finding himself supported, Harrison immediately resumed his former line in front of the enemy, where he had been skirmishing for some time. My command was here deployed in line of battle and ordered to advance. The Eighty-eighth Indiana (Colonel Briant), was on the right of the road; the Ninety-fourth Ohio (Colonel Bassford), Tenth Wisconsin (Captain Roby), and Nineteenth Illinois (Lieutenant-Colonel Raffen) on the