manding post of Nashville, and was by you assigned to the First Provisional Brigade. At about 7 a. m. I marched out on the Murfreesborough pike about one mile from the city, and formed line of battle to the right of and parallel with, the pike, the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry forming on my left, that regiment being our extreme left. Skirmishers form the Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry reporting the enemy as too strong for them, my regiment, with the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, was ordered to advance and drive the enemy from his rifle-pits, which was at once done, the two regiments charging to the railroad, but were prevented from going farther by a deep cut, known as Rains' Cut. As that time we were at least 100 yards beyond and to the rear of the enemy's earth-works near Rains' house, and had we been well supported on our right I think the work could have been taken. As it was, we were soon obliged to fall back, which was done in rather a disorderly manner. As soon, however, as we were out of range of the enemy's canister we reformed and were soon afterward moved around to the right of the enemy's earth-work and took a second position near Rains' house, where we kept up a sharp skirmish with the enemy till night, when be withdrew from our immediate front.

The conduct of all my officers was all that I desire, and from the fact that it was the first time the men had ever been fire I think they, too, did well. I am satisfied that with practice they would make good fighters.

My loss was: Commissioned officers, killed, 2; mortally wounded, 1; badly wounded, 3. Enlisted men, killed, 14; wounded, 64; missing, none; many of the wounded have since died.

I inclose complete list of killed and wounded.*

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. R. SHAFTER,

Colonel Seventeenth U. S. Colored Infantry, Commanding.

Colonel THOMAS J. MORGAN,

Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry.

Numbers 189. Report of Major Lewis D. Joy, Eighteen U. S. Colored Troops, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEEN U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Bridgeport, Ala., January 17, 1865.

SIR: I hereby have the honor to make report of the part taken by the detachment of the Eighteen U. S. Colored Infantry, under my command, at the battles before Nashville, December 15 and 16, 1864.

On the 15th we were ordered by Colonel Morgan, commanding colored brigade, to the support of a section of the Twentieth Indiana Battery, which position we occupied during the day, having one man wounded whole changing position from the brick house on the extreme left of the line. That night 100 men, in charge of First Lieutenant George J. Drew, Company B of our regiment, were engaged in throwing up earth-works at Camp Foster for the protection of the battery. On the morning of the 16th crossed to the west of the Nashville and Chatta-

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* Embodied in table, p. 103.

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