Numbers 195. Report of Brigadier General John T. Croxton, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, First Division of operations October 24, 1864-January 14, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the 24th of October, 1864, this brigade was on the Tennessee Rive, in compliance with the following order, viz:

NASHVILLE, October 13, 1864.

Brigadier General JOHN T. CROXTON:

I have just ordered the Ninth and Tenth Regiments Indiana Cavalry and the Tenth and Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry be mounted from the horses used by General Steedman, and they will be ordered to report to you to assist in guarding the river. Send Colonel Roper's brigade to this place, as it is made up of detachments, and I desire to reorganize it and send it to the front as soon as possible. Get into position by the 14th or 15th at fathers, if possible, and report to me the point selected for your camp, and establish a line of couriers between it and Pulaski or Athens, which-ever may be the nearest point of telegraphic communication.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

The effective strength of the brigade was about 1,000 men, two-thirds of whom were scattered from Lamb's Ferry to Florence, a distance of twenty-four miles, guarding the fords and ferries, and the remaining third in reserve, encamped near Center Star. General Thomas had promised to send the Tenth and Twelfth Tennessee and also the Ninth and Tenth Indiana to assist in guarding the river, but general granger retained the latter-named regiments, and of the former only about 450 men reported, and these were so badly mounted and so carelessly managed that before the date mentioned they reported less than 200 effective men. These were stationed at Martin's Mills, three miles west of Florence, on the waterloo road, and charged with watching Pride's, Garner's, and Cheatham's Ferries. On the evening of the 29th of October I obtained reliable information that Hood's entire army was at Town Creek, and would probably attempt to lay a pontoon bridge at Bainbridge during that night. I at once dispatched this information to General Thomas, and sent the Second Michigan Cavalry to re-enforce the guard at Bainbridge, a battalion to Raccoon Branch, two miles above Florence, and ordered the Tenth and Twelfth Tennessee from Martin's Mills to watch the ferry at Florence. No demonstration was made that night, but about 3 p. m. of the day following two brigades of Johnson's division, of Lee's corps, were suddenly thrown across the rive in flat-boats, landing about three miles below Bainbridge, at a point never known or used as a ferry. The troops had been during the night previous crossed to an island near the northern bank, where they lay secreted during the day, and were rapidly crossed. As soon as it was discovered the troops above and below moved promptly to meet them, and fought until night-fall, but were unable to hold their ground. By that time the enemy had succeeded in driving them back until they held possession of the Huntsville and Florence road at Judge Posey's. During the night I gathered up all my available force at Shoal Creek bridge, at which point I remainder, reconnoitering daily and driving in the rebel pickets in sight of Florence, until on the 5th of November my reconnoitering party was met and driven back by a column of rebel infantry, which proved to be Johnson's division. They attacked us at 10 a. m. at Shoal Creek, and, failing to drive us away, sent two brigades