No. 158. Report of Captain Stephen H. Julian, Battery I, Second Missouri Light Artillery, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

Official report of the part taken by Battery I, Second Missouri Light Artillery, in the battles fought before Nashville, Tenn., December 15 and 16, 1864:

On the morning of the 15th of December, 1864, I was ordered, with my battery, to follow the Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, which was done, until I had marched about three miles from our camps, where the enemy was found in three different forts, with a heavy line of skirmishers to oppose our advance. I ordered my battery forward about 100 yards in advance of our line of skirmishers and came in action on a hill in an open field under the fire of the enemy's line of skirmishers and the fire from three rebel batteries-one immediately in my front, about 1,200 yards distant; one on my left, 1,500 yards; and one still farther on my left, 2,000 yards distant. In the morning Lieutenant Davis was detached as an aide-de-camp to Colonel Hill, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee. Section commanders were as follows: Lieutenant Philip Lynch commanded the right section; Lieutenant William J. Williams, the center section; Sergt. R. D. O. Nicholson, the left section. When I came in action I found the enemy's sharpshooters to be very annoying, as well as the firing of their artillery from the different forts on my left and center. I ordered Lieutenant Lynch, commanding the right section, to direct his fire on the fort immediately in my front, and Lieutenant Williams, who commanded the center section, to fire on a regiment of rebel infantry that was advancing to support the rebel battery in my front. The third round he fired the shells were seen exploding amidst the enemy's ranks, which sent them on double-quick into their fortifications. Sergeant Nicholson, commanding the left section, was ordered to fire on a line of sharpshooters that was posted about 300 yards to my left in a brush thicket. The third round he fired they were seen running in great disorder in the direction of their fortifications. After I had driven the enemy's sharpshooters and infantry into their works, I directed in my front. The sixth piece fired on the rebel battery on my left; the firing was continued for two hours, when the fort was charged in my front and captured, together with four pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners. I then moved by the left flank and gained an eminence about 600 yards from the fort on the left of my first position, and came in action with my whole battery. The enemy only replied three times. After I brought my battery into position I held the fort silent for one hour, when the infantry charged and captured it. I then advanced my battery immediately in rear of the infantry about half a mile, and bivouacked for the night.

At 4 o'clock December 16, 1864, we moved forward about three-quarters of a mile and found the enemy strongly fortified. Lieutenant Lynch was detached as an acting aide-de-camp to Colonel Marshall, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, vice Colonel Hill, killed on the 15th. Lieutenant Davis commanded the right section; Lieutenant Williams, the center section; Sergeant Nicholson, the left section. I advanced my battery to within 400 yards of the enemy's works and to the left of the Granny White pike, and came in action under the fire of four rebel batteries and a