[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, SEVENTH DIV., CAVALRY CORPS, Gravelly Springs, January 19, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded for the information of major-general commanding Cavalry Corps. 'Major williamson is the ranking officer present, the Lieutenant-Colonel Prosser mentioned being Major Prosser, of the Second Tennessee, now at Nashville,a nd Major williamson's report is that of the expedition.

J. H. HAMMOND,
Brevet Brigadier-General.

Numbers 206. Report of Colonel Edward Anderson, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Twentieth Army Corps, of operations December 7, 1864.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS, Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 8, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that the brigade under my command was ordered to march on the reconnaissance of yesterday under Major General R. H. Milroy.

This brigade consists of the One hundred and seventy-seventh and One hundred and seventy-eight Ohio Volunteer Dan, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, Fourth and Fifth Tennessee Cavalry, and Thirteenth New York Independent Battery. En route for the field of action I was informed that the Thirteenth New York Battery was attached to the First Brigade, in the rear of which I was ordered to march. The Fourth and Fifth Tennessee Cavalry Regiments, commanded by Lieutenatn-Colonel Clift, were ordered to report to Colonel G. M. L. Johnson, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, commanding cavalry. Thus I had under my immediate command troops as follows, viz.: Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Reed commanding, numbering 16 officers and 352 men (368); One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel A. T. Wilcox commanidng, numbering 18 officers and 496 men (514); One hundred and seventy-eight Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel J. A. Stafford commanding, numbering 17 officers and 427 men (444); making a total of 51 officers and 1,275 men-1, 326 men.

At Overall's Creek, where the enemy opened an artillery fire upon us, I was ordered to form my brigade in the rear of the First Brigade, and in undertaking to do so I found the one hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was on the right of my command and now for the first time brought under fire, exposed to at terrible succession of shots from the enemy's battery. The officers of the regiment and my own staff officers joined in an endeavor to keep them in column, but knowing that the whole future of the regiment probably depended on preventing their breaking tot he rear, I ordered Colonel Wilcox to have them lie down. Through all the artillery duel that ensued they remained in that position, of course so remote from the enemy, in their position as reserves, the they could do nothing but endure. I was glad, in occupying a position where I could watch the regiment, to notice that none appeared to flinch under this heavy fire and in a position more exposed than often comes to a regiment. After the battery had ceased firing I was ordered ot march my brigade by the right flank till the right of the column should rest on the Wilkinson pike; there I again formed line of battle and undertook to march