No. 75. Reports of Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Kimberly, Forty-first Infantry, of operations December 15, 1864-January 5, 1865.

HEADQUARTERS FORTY-FIRST OHIO VETERAN INFANTRY, Near Huntsville, Ala., January 8, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the battles before Nashville, Tenn., December 15 and 16, 1864, and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy:

At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th of December the men were wakened without bugle call and quietly got breakfast and struck tents. Shortly after daylight the regiment move with the brigade some distance to the right of its old position, and was placed on the right of the second line of the brigade in front of the enemy's position at a brick house to the right of the Granny White pike. Afterward the regiment was ordered to deploy as skirmishers, covering the front of the brigade, and attempt to dislodge the enemy at the house. This was accomplished, the enemy making little resistance, and being pursued by the skirmishers nearly to his second line of works, far beyond the house. The regiment was then relieved as skirmishers and resumed its position on the left of the second line of the brigade. In the subsequent assault of the enemy's second line of works the regiment, though under fire, did not engage, but moved up to occupy the captured works, to allow first line to reform behind them. The command bivouacked at night near Granny White pike, entrenching its line. December 16, having moved shortly after daylight to and across the Franklin pike, the regiment went into position before Overton Knob, on the left of the first line of the brigade. In the assault of the knob the regiment served as skirmishers for the brigade, being ordered to push as far up to the enemy's works as possible. Being deployed 600 [yards] from the enemy's works on the knob, the regiment moved steadily forward to the edge of the wood, covering the side of the hill, and then, at the command, advanced at a run. Near the enemy's line a good abatis was encountered but many of the skirmishers penetrated it. Just at this moment, however, the enemy, who had shown little force in his works, moved into them a line of battle in good order, and its fire effectually checked all advance, as it did the movement of the brigade which followed the skirmishers very closely. The regiment remained in this position until the repulse of the assault, and then fell back, reforming upon the ground from which it started.

I have to mention Private George H. Kleihans, Company I, Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who penetrated the rebel abatis, and jumped the parapet in face of the rebel line of battle. Sergts. E. Morse, Company B, and Garrett, Company G, with several men, did not fall back with the regiment, and afterward, seeing the enemy leaving his works, dashed forward and too possession of four pieces of artillery; Sergeant Garrett also seized a rebel battle-flag. These were the first men in the rebel works after their abandonment, and with several others from Company A, added materially to the enemy's panic by promptly pursuing him over the hill and firing upon his retreating lines. Private D. I. Holcomb, Company A, Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, one of these men, captured a battle-flag. I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of officers and men.