No. 76. Report of Captain William H. McClure, Seventy-first Ohio Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. SEVENTY-FIRST OHIO VETERAN VOL. INFANTRY, Near Huntsville, Ala., January 9, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor, in compliance to orders, to make the following report of the part taken by the Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in the two days' fight before Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of December, 1864:

We broke camp at 4 a.m. on the 15th, and at 7 o'clock was marching with the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fourth Army Corps, to Hillsborough pike, and there remained in reserve until 9 o'clock, when two companies, A and F, were deployed as skirmishers, they remaining on the line through the day. The regiment was formed in the front line, with the right resting on the First Brigade, the Fifty-ninth Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry on the left. We charged with the column on the skirmish line at the burnt house, taking some prisoners. The regiment was halted at the stone fence in rear of the house. We remained there under a heavy artillery fire until 3 p.m., at which time the charge was made on the main line of the enemy's works. The regiment moved forward through a field under a heavy fire of musketry, losing a number of men.

At within 100 yards of the works we charged on the double-quick, carrying the works, with a loss of 49 men killed and wounded. The abatis was very heavy, but was able to burst through and plant our colors first on the works, the color-bearer [Sergeant Bodwell] being wounded in the attempt. We captured a number of prisoners, and one piece of artillery with limber chest [which] was in our front. We marched to the Granny White pike and bivouacked for the night. On the 16th marched at daybreak, crossed the Franklin pike, then moved forward in line. Found the enemy in force on Overton Knob. In the assault the regiment was formed in the second line, with the Fifty-ninth Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry on the right, with orders to conform our movements with the Fifty-ninth Illinois, as they were to follow the pike. The enemy made a stubborn resistance, and after remaining under a fire of artillery and musketry for thirty minutes, was ordered to fall back, as the entire line on our left was falling back. Our line was pressed forward as far as any other, three color-bearers being wounded right at the abatis, and quite a number were found dead within twenty feet of the works.

The regiment was reformed in rear of the batteries, and ready for the second assault within fifteen minutes after the order to fall back. The officers and men acted nobly.

Colonel Hart was wounded near the middle of the charge, at which time I took command of the regiment.

I herewith append a list of casualties: Killed and wounded, commissioned officers, 7; enlisted men, 117; total, 124.

W. H. McCLURE,
Captain Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

Lieutenant B. A. HAMILTON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.