DECEMBER 31, 1864.-Skirmish at Sharpsburg, Ky.

Report of Major William R. Gerhart, One hundred and twenty-first U. S. Colored Infantry.

HDQRS. 121ST REGIMENT U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Sharpsburg, December 31, 1864.

SIR: I was attacked this morning by force of forty. They came from the direction [of] Owingsville, and upon being repulsed moved off in the same direction. Judging from all appearances they were regular rebel soldiers, and from a prisoner I learn that they came through West Liberty, where it is stated of that there are from 300 to 400 men. The rebels moved away from here very slowly, but I had neither the men nor the horses with which to follow them. From their movements I expect another attack to-night. One man was killed and another wounded. What shall I do in regard to it? Please answer immediately.

WM. R. GERHART,

Major, Commanding Detachment 121st U. S. Colored Infantry.

P. S.-The division has just arrived.

WEST,

Major, Commanding Post.

Captain J. BATES DICKSON.

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY, SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, AND NORTH GEORGIA, FROM NOVEMBER 14 TO NOVEMBER 30, 1864.*

UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

NASHVILLE, TENN., November 14, 1864-7 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Washington, D. C.:

The following dispatch received from General Ammen, Knoxville, via Chattanooga:

General Gillem was attacked above Morristown at 12 o'clock last night, routed, and lost his artillery, and is reported captured. Nearly 1,000 of his troops have arrived at Strawberry Plains. I sent some infantry to Morristown yesterday to support General Gillem; they were in the fight, and reported captured; this not certain. Breckinridge is reported in command, with his force variously estimated at from 2,000 to 8,000 men.

J. AMMEN,

Brigadier-General.

I have ordered General Steedman to re-enforce General Ammen, if General Ammen calls for help. General A. J. Smith telegraphs me from Saint Louis to-day that two divisions of his troops had not yet reached Saint Louis. They have been delayed by heavy rains and snows, rendering the roads almost impassable, and several streams too high to cross. A citizen, just in from Tuscumbia to Decatur, reports to General Granger that two corps of Hood's army [are] about Tuscumbia, and that one corps is on this side of the river; and so far as he could learn, Hood knew nothing of General Sherman's movements.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

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

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*For Correspondence, etc., from December 1, 1864, to January 23, 1865, see Part II.

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