and the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, Colonel L. Johnson, at Chattanooga, Tenn., and proceeded by railroad to Cowan, Tenn., and thence by railroad to Nashville, Tenn., reaching there with the Sixteenth and the main portion of the Fourteenth Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry on the 1st day of December, 1864. Colonel L. Johnson, with the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Captain C. W. Baker, with Companies A and D of the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, occupied the rear section of the train which was transporting General Steedman's command to Nashville, Tenn. Seven miles north of Murfreesborough a train containing artillery and horses ran off the track and stopped the progress of the rear train, which, for some reason, unexplained, was taken back to Murfreesborough with troops on board, a guard being left with the wrecked cars. During the night a construction train from Nashville removed the wreck cars, horses, artillery, and guard, at an early hour on the 2nd ultimo, to Nashville. At 8 a. m. 2nd ultimo Colonel Johnson again started for Nashville, but when near Mill Creek he was attacked by a rebel cavalry command under General Forrest. The fight that ensue was quite creditable to the forces under Colonel Johnson. Colonel Johnson and Captain Baker are entitled to credit for the skill with which they fought and baffled the enemy and brought out their commands. I append the reports of those officers concerning this affair, marked A. B.* During the 2nd ultimo the portion of the brigade with me, conforming to the movements of General Cruft, occupied the extreme left of the first line of battle, formed near house of Robert Rains, and constructed in its front, hastily, a line of defense, a breast work of rails and earth with a light palisade in front. On the 3rd this line was abandoned and a new line established nearer the city, where the brigade by the return of Colonel Johnson and Captain Baker and the addition of a battalion of the Eighteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, under Major L. D. Joy, took position near the residence of Major William B. Lewis. On December 5 and 7 reconnaissances were made by the brigade, in conjunction with other troops, and the enemy were found to, occupy the first line of works built by General Steedman near Rains' house; each was driven from the left of their works, with slight loss to us. On the 5th one lieutenant and seven enlisted men of the enemy were captured by this brigade. A citizen living near the Murfreesborough pike was killed by a member of Company B. Sixteenth U. S. Colored Infantry. The report of Colonel Gaw concerning this is inclosed, marked C.+ The conduct of officers and men on those occasions, save the misconduct of Colonel Gaw. which was reported at the time, was, so far as came under my observation, good. The coolness of the enlisted men under fire was especially gratifying to me.

On the night of the 14th of December orders were received to move at daybreak to make a demonstration upon the left, to occupy our first line of works, near Rains' house, if practicable, and to strongly menace the enemy's right to prevent the moving of his troops to resist the advance of the right of [the] Federal army when the main attack was to be made. On the evening of the 14th Colonel Gaw, by unsoldierly process, succeeded in getting his regiment taken from the First Brigade and ordered to a safer place in the rear. An excellent regiment, the Seventeenth U. S. Colored Infantry, under a brave and gallant officer, Colonel Shafter, reported to me instead of the Sixteenth. Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor, commanding brigade of white troops, reported to me, and remained with me during the two days' battle. I inclose Colonel

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* See pp. 540,538.

+ Not found.

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