given way, and it was to continue the struggle any longer. The regiment reformed on the ground occupied just previous to the assault by the One hundredth U. S. Colored Infantry, and was ready to again advance when a staff officer of the colonel commanding ordered me to take my regiment over to the left, where the remainder of the brigade was formed. I moved to the left, as ordered, and joined the brigade, which moved about miles to the front and encamped for the night, in the meantime the enemy retiring toward Franklin. The regiment went into action on the morning of the 16th, 556 men and 20 commissioned officers, lost 4 commissioned officers and 55 enlisted men killed, and 4 commissioned and 165 enlisted men wounded; total loss, 220.

On the morning of the 17th we marched in pursuit of the enemy and reached Franklin in the evening. The next day the regiment moved with the brigade toward Murfreesborough and arrived there on the 20th; thence to Stevenson and Decatur, where we arrived on the 25th, and drove the enemy out of the place, Companies I and K being the first troops to enter, they being under the immediate command of Captain Park, of Company K. The regiment moved with the brigade down the river in the direction of Courtland and arrived there on the 30th of December, and from thence to La Grange, Ala., on January 1, 1865. January 2 moved back toward Decatur and arrived there on the 5th. On the 7th we embarked on the cars for Nashville. Arriving at Scottsborough we were ordered in pursuit of the rebel General Lyon, who had been on a raiding tour through Kentucky and Tennessee. The regiment marched in pursuit to----Landing, and returned thence to Larkinsville, Ala. Nothing of note occurred on this march, except the suffering of the men for the want of shoes and other clothing, which from the length of the campaign were worn out. Many of the officers and men were barefoot, and never did men display more soldierly than on this march; without shoes and a great time without rations, they performed their duty cheerfully and without murmur. The regiment arrived at Nashville on the 15th of January and lay there until the 29th, when I received orders to move and reoccupy our former stations of the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad. The regiment moved by easy marches to its former stations on the road, arriving at this place on the 2nd of February, and on the 4th all of the different companies had arrived at the posts assigned them.

Where all did well, it is impossible to particularize, but I cannot close this report without mentioning some of the officers of this regiment. Captains Bensinger, Park, Duncan, Chamberlain, Dougall, and Wallace led their companies up in the most gallant manner. Lieutenants Dickerson, Marble, Ricketts, and Snell behaved with marked gallantry, but all did well, and I do not believe any regiment ever could boast of braver officers. Among the enlisted men there were many that showed great bravery. Sergeants Wilson and Rankin both displayed the greatest gallantry possible in carrying the colors, and sealed their devotion to them with their lives.

Inclosed please find a complete list of killed and wounded.*

All of which is respectfully submitted.

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

JOHN A. HOTTENSTEIN,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant THOMAS L. SEXTON,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Troops on Nashville and Northwestern R. R.

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* Embodied in table, p.103.

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