hastily across the river in pontoons, and drove the enemy out of Columbia and occupied the town. The enemy resisted the crossing stubbornly, inflicting serious loss upon the regiments but their stubbornness was not equal to the valor and determination of our troops, and several captures were made of the retreating force of the enemy.

December 23, received orders to march toward Pulaski as soon as the cavalry was out of the way, my division marching in rear of the corps. The rear guard of the enemy stubbornly resisted our advance, and we succeeded in advancing but five miles during the day. December 24, marched at 8 a. m., my division following the Second Division, and went into camp at dark two miles south of Lynnville, having advanced twelve miles. December 25, marched at 8 a. m., my division in advance of the corps, preceded by the cavalry. After passing through Pulaski I crossed Richard Creek, and took the dirt road leading to Lamb's ferry, on the Tennessee River. About 1 p. m. I received intelligence from the corps commander that the cavalry was hotly engaged with the enemy, and I pressed forward with my command as rapidly as the condition of the roads would admit for about six miles, when, the cavalry having succeeded in dislodging the enemy and night coming on, I was ordered to put my command in camp. Owing to our rapid pursuit of the enemy, the difficulty of getting our train across Duck River, and the almost impassable condition of the roads, our supplies did not overtake us until late in the afternoon of the 26th, when they were at once distributed to the command, and every preparation made for an early advance on the morrow. December 27, received orders to march at daylight, my division marching in the rear. The rain continued heavily yesterday an during the night, rendering an advance extremely tedious and difficult; the loose nature of the soil of the country through which we passe rendered locomotion with artillery and trains almost impossible without the assistance of infantry to extricate them from the deep cuts and gullies, caused by heavy rains since and during the passage of the rebel army and trains. We succeeded in advancing eleven miles, passing a large number of abandoned ammunition wagons of the enemy and large quantities of ammunition partially destroyed, but did not encounter the enemy. December 28, marched at 8 a. m., following the Second Division, and marching thirteen miles, reached Lexington, Ala., eleven miles from the Tennessee River and sixteen miles from Florence, where intelligence reached us that the enemy had succeeded in crossing the Tennessee River, and the pursuit was abandoned. On the morning of the 31st, in compliance with orders from the general commanding the corps, I marched at 7 a. m. for Huntsville, Ala., via Athens, crossed Elk River on January 3, 1865, at Buck Island Ford, on a bridge constructed under orders from the corps commander, and reached Hunteville on the morning of the 5th, and thus completed the campaign.

In writing a report of operations affording opportunities for the display of personal gallantry and heroism and for rendering distinguished service it is impossible to chronicle the name of every officer and soldier specially distinguished himself, and where all have done well to attempt to discriminate individuals would, perhaps, lead to invidious distinctions.

To my brigade commanders, Colonel A. D. Streight, Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers, commanding First Brigade; Colonel P. Sidney Post, Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, commanding Second Brigade, and Colonel Fred. Knefler, Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, commanding Third Brigade, I return my thanks for the prompt and efficient manner with