and wounded, principally from the enemy's artillery and sharpshooters. During the night of the 15th I was ordered to move with my division toward the left of the line and bivouacked at Lea's house, near the Granny White pike. On the morning of the 16th I went into position on the extreme left of the army and to the west of the Granny White pike. I had not, however, been here but a short time when I was ordered by General Cheatham to report with my command to General Hood near the center of the line, which I did, and was ordered by him to send one brigade [Govan's] back to the left to check a movement of the enemy on that flank. (For a report of his operations during the remainder of the day you are referred to the accompanying report of Colonel Green,* of the Fifth Arkansas Regiment, who succeeded General Govan in the command after the latter was wounded.)

Shortly after reporting to General Hood I was again ordered by him to report to General Cheatham, on the left. By the latter I was directed to cross my command in rear under cover and to await orders. About an hour afterward [sic], their ill-provided-for condition, many being barefooted and otherwise badly clothed; the division recrossed the Tennessee River on the 26th of December.

Owing to the absence of General Lowrey, and to the face that his brigade changed commanders so often, I find it impossible to get a satisfactory report from this brigade. This latter fact--frequent change of brigade commanders--should be stated as the reason why this report is so meager and deficient in detail.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. SMITH,

Brigadier-General.

Major J. D. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Cheatham's Corps.

Numbers 250. Report of Colonel Charles H. Olmstead, First Volunteer Georgia Infantry, commanding Smith's brigade, of operations December 6, 1864-January 20, 1865.

HEADQUARTERS SMITH'S BRIGADE, Near Tupelo, Miss., January 20, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade from December 6, 1864, to the present date:

On December 6 and 7 the command was busy constructing a second line of works in front of Nashville, a little to the right of the Nolensville pike. On the morning of the 8th we took up the line of march for Murfreesborough, having been ordered to report to General Forrest near that place. At night-fall went into camp within eleven miles of the place. From that time until December 15 the command did little else than destroy the railroad between Murfreesborough and Nashville. On the 15th marched with Palmer's brigade and a portion of the cavalry to a position considerably to the eastward of Murfreesborough. On the next day, however, we retraced our steps, and (the news of the disaster at Nashville reaching us that night) we immediately started across the country for Pulaski by forced marches. The roads were in horrible

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*Not found.

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