and had logs and stumps of tress converted into a breast-work. This position afforded them much shelter, and they held it against several assaults of the enemy. The batteries, which continued their fire, injured the block-house constantly; they had to change position a dozen times, being silenced by our musketry. At about 5 p. m. the enemy managed to establish a battery on the hill which I spoke above, and it was this battery which did more harm than all the rest. It knocked the lookout of the stockade to pieces, and also the roof, which caved in at several places. The shots fired by it struck the house every time, and a number penetrated it; one shell, exploding inside, killed the railroad conductor, who had sought shelter in the house, and wounded several of the garrison. It was now dark and the artillery fire ceased, but musketry was still kept up. I drew the command back to the block-house, and left a strong skirmish line at the position which we had occupied during the day. As my ammunition was nearly exhausted (the men who came off the train only had forty rounds), and I expected an assault, I stopped all firing in order to reserve the tour rounds I had left per man for the last effort. The firing was kept up until 3 a. m. of the 3rd, but not answered by my men. My position was quite desperate, and when I took into consideration that my stock of ammunition was almost expended, the stockade so much used up that a few shots would have knocked it down, and having lost one-third of the men, I resolved to abandon the stockade and fight my way to Nashville. I knew that should the place be surrendered or taken by assault a butchery would follow, and I also knew that re-enforcements would have been sent to me if it had been possible to send them. I therefore left the block-house at 3,30 a. m., and, contrary to my expectations, got through the rebel lines without much trouble. I arrived at Nashville about daylight.

In addition to the above I have to state that I left Surg J. T. Strong, Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Chaplain Railsback, Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, in the block-house to take care of the wounded men.

The soldiers and officers of the different commands behaved well and steady during the entire fight, and especially during the retreat; every man did his duty; not a shot was fired, but silently they marched, determined to die rather than be taken prisoners.

The forces engaged numbered as follows: Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Infantry, 227 muskets; Companies A and D, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry, 80 muskets; detachment One hundred and fifteenth Ohio Volunteers, 25 muskets; total, 332 muskets.

The losses are:

Killed. Wounded. Missing. Total.

Comm Offi Men. Offi Men. Offi Men. Offi Men. Aggr

and. cers cers cers cers egat

. . . . e.

44th .... 8 .... 35 2 37 2 80 82

U.

S.

Colo

red

Infa

ntry

.

Comp .... 2 .... 5 .... 18 .... 25 25

anie

s A

and

D,

14th

U.

S.

Infa

ntry

Deta .... 2 .... 6 .... .... .... 8 8

chme

nt

115t

h

Ohio

Volu

ntee

rs

Tota .... 12 .... 46 2 55 2 113 115

l

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. JOHNON,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant JOHN E. CLELLAND, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.