up barricades, when they retired on the main line. On reaching the main line of works the officers rallied their men as best they could and placed them in position to support the works which were give up [sic] their position at the approach of the enemy, who followed close on the steps of our retiring lines. When the command retired from Stevens' Hill I directed Colonel Opdycke to form in the rear of Carter's house to the right in rear of the main line of works, to act as a reserve, and when the troops occupying the main line of works at Carter's house gave way, Colonel Opdycke, who had orders to re-enforce any portion of the line which might need his assistance, rushed forward with his brigade and retook the works. He came so close to our line that the fight became a hand-to-hand conflict across the parapet, which was kept up for hours, many of the enemy rushing over our works only to be killed or captured by our men. The ground in front of our lines was open and level, which afforded the best possible range for our musketry fire, which moved the enemy down in heaps. Judging from the number of battle-flags which fell into our hands, whole organizations of the enemy must have been annihilated. The division alone captured 12 battle flags, and, according to the reports from brigade commanders, 70 officers and 683 enlisted men. The fight raged for about four hours with great fury, the main attacks being directed against the line at Carter's house. After the firing had ceased I received orders from General Stanely directing me to withdraw my command across the river at midnight, and move toward Nashville as far as Brentwood. About midnight, finding the troops which were to follow me across the river already crossing, I directed my brigade commanders to get ready and cross the river at once and march out on the Nashville pike. On reaching the village of Brentwood the division was put in advance of the army and reached Nashville about 10 o'clock on the morning of the 1st instant.

The loss of the division, as reported by brigade commanders, was as follows: Killed, officers, 5; enlisted men, 47. Wounded, officer, 31; enlisted men, 488. Captured and missing, 670. These were mainly from those regiments that had a large number of recruits, many of whom had been armed but a few days.

I cannot speak of all the gallant deeds, but must be allowed to lament the death of so gallant and accomplished an officer as Lieutenant-Colonel Olson, Thirty-sixth Illinois Veteran Volunteers, who charged the enemy at the head of his regiment and materially aided in saving the day.

Each of the brigade commanders, General Bradely, Colonels Lane and Opdycke, and Colonel Conrad, who succeeded General Bradely in the command of the Third Brigade after the former received his wound at Spring Hill, acted most gallantly and efficiently in every particular during the action at Spring Hill and Franklin; so did their staff officers and the officers commanding their regiments, but particularly may be named Colonel Lane's assistant adjutant-general, Captain Henry C. Tinney, who had three horses shot under him during the engagement.

Your attention is respectfully called to the reports of subordinate commanders for particulars in regard to the gallant conduct of the officers and men of their command and for the details of the action, which are given more fully by them than would be proper in this report.

I desire to bear testimony to the gallantry and fitness of Colonel Emerson Opdycke, One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers, for his position, and he should by all means be promoted at once. There is no man in the army more worthy to be a brigadier-general.