Additional skirmishes and reconnaissances have been had with the enemy on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th of December, 1864. In these my command has captured about 20 prisoners, among whom were 1 major and 1 lieutenant.

Please find the list of casualties appended.*

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

G. M. L. JOHNSON,

Colonel Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry.

Major CRAVENS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Defenses Nashville and Chattanooga R. R.

Numbers 223. Report of Colonel Thomas C. Boone, One hundred and fifteenth Ohio Infantry, of operations December 2-5, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the operations of my regiment during Hood's late advance into Tennessee.

On the 25th of November, as per instructions form headquarters post of Murfreesborough, I started to Duck River Bridge, at the same time sent the adjutant northward toward Nashville on an inspection tour. I found the troops from here to Duck River supplied with the requisite amount of ammunition and subsistence to December 10, 1864. The adjutant returned November 27, making a similar report. I immediately forwarded twenty days' rations to all the detachments of the regiment from Nashville to Duck River, supplying the troops tot he 1st of January, 1865.

Block-house Numbers 2, five miles from Nashville, commanded by Lieutenant George D. Harter, was the first attacked by the enemy. About 8 a large majority of whom were dressed in Federal uniform. The force began gradually to surround the block-house. About this time a railroad train was heard approaching from the south. When it came in sight it was discovered to be loaded with colored troops. The train came up very slowly, and when on the bridge at the block-house was fired into by the enemy's artillery, disabling the engine and wrecking the train immediately. This began the fight, and seven pieces of artillery opened fire on the block-house. The colored troops, which consisted of parts of the Fourteenth and Forty-fourth U. S. colored Infantry, and numbering in all abut 350 men, under command of Colonel Johnson, of the Forty-fourth U. S. Colored Troops, sought protection at the block-house. They were scarce of ammunition, and Lieutenant Harter gave to Colonel Johnson for the use of his command 2,000 rounds, without which they could have rendered but little or no assistance to the block-house garrison. The garrison kept up constant firing on the enemy, forcing them to change the position of their artillery frequently. One piece, however, which did them the most damage, was stationed on a hill about 500 yards north of the block-house. It was loaded under cover of the hill, pushed to the crest,

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*Shows 1 officer and 7 men killed and 34 men wounded.

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