for over two hours, when they surrendered. Our colors suffered very much from the terrible fire of the enemy, the flagstaffs were partially cut away in several places, and the flags badly cut and torn. The prisoners captured numbered 83, who reported that they were all that was left of the three regiments they belonged to. Among them were the colonel and a captain of the Eighth Mississippi and Captain G. W. Covell, Company E, Third Missouri. The two former surrendered to me, and I received their swords, and Captain Covell surrendered to Sergt. Israel P. Covey, of Company B. They were sent to the rear in charge of Lieutenant Lewis C. Mills, of Company C, who delivered them over to the colonel of an Ohio regiment in the Twenty-third Corps.

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

JOHN RUSSELL,

Lieutenant Colonel Forty-fourth Illinois Infantry, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel E. OPDYCKE, Commanding Brigade.

Numbers 42. Report of Captain Alonzo W. Clark, Forty-fourth Illinois Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. FORTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS VETERAN INFANTRY,
Huntsville, Ala., January 12, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In accordance with instructions received from headquarters Second Division, I have the honor of making the following report of the part taken by this regiment in the late battles of the 15th and 16th before Nashville:

By order of Colonel Opdycke the regiment formed the morning of the 15th in the breast-works, where the brigade had been encamped, and were, with the exception of Lieutenant Allen and seventy men (who were employed on the skirmish line), retained until the next morning. At 3 o'clock on the morning of the 16th we marched to join or brigade, then on the Granny White pike. At daylight marched with the brigade in line of battle; marched but a short distance, when sharp skirmishing commenced, and about 11 o'clock the regiment, with the brigade, charged over an open field and partly thought a skirt of timber to within about 100 yards of the enemy's works (our position being on the left of the front line of the brigade), but, owing to a heavy enfilading fire on both flanks, fell back about fifty yards, securing better covering and position, from whence we kept up an incessant firing until about 3 o'clock, when we, with the brigade, charged the enemy's works, capturing a number of prisoners; but owing to the order to move forward were unable to take receipt or to tell the exact number taken. We then moved forward with the brigade (our position being on the right of the second line), pursuing the enemy until the darkness of the night prevented our pursuit farther. I have no special mention to make of officers or men, all behaving in the best of manner.

Our list of casualties for the 15th and 16th is as follows: Commissioned officers-wounded, 1 (Charles M. Lyon, first lieutenant and acting adjutant). Enlisted men-killed, 3; wounded, 22; missing, 5. Total, 31.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

A. W. CLARK,

Captain Forty-fourth Illinois Veteran Infantry, Commanding Regiment

[Captain R. C. POWERS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.]