Many of the wounds are of very severe character; four capital operations of the lower extremities have already been performed.

M. W. ROBBINS,

Surg. Fourth Iowa Inf., Surg. in Chf., First Div., 15th A. C.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Bridgeport, Ala., December 15, 1863.

MAJOR:I have the honor to report on the operations of my division consequent on your order (received in camp, Cherokee Station, Ala.) to push the enemy's forces then in my front toward and into Tuscumbia, without, however, going beyond that place.

Before entering on the narrative,however, I beg leave to refer the general to my reports on previous engagements with the enemy on October 20 and 21, copies of which I now inclose.* The very signal repulse of the enemy's attack on our position at Cherokee, October 21 (see inclosure marked B), made him extremely careful, and all the information we could receive showed that he was receiving considerable re-enforcements, and occupied a very strong position on both sides of Cane Creek.

In compliance with your orders we left camp in the lightest possible marching order at 3 a.m., October 26, and arrived at the cemetery near Barton's Station (Memphis and Charleston Railroad) at 4.30 a.m.

The rebel pickets stationed there fled very hastily on our approach and gave the alarm in their camp.

As it was too dark to push my advance forward and endeavor to intercept them, I awaited daybreak, and then deployed the First Brigade (Brigadier-General Woods commanding) behind a slight elevation in the ground to the right and left of the graveyard mentioned above, and placed the First Missouri Horse Artillery (Captain Landgraeber) in the cemetery itself. The cavalry-Fifth Ohio, and Third Regulars-were formed on both wings of the First Brigade, while the Second Brigade (Colonel J. A. Williamson commanding) was kept in reserve in column near Barton's Station.

The distance between my front line and the enemy's position was from 800 to 1,000 yards. (The cavalry engagement, reported on the inclosure marked A, was fought on the same ground.) The enemy's position was on a pretty steep ridge and well masked by timber, while my troops occupied the open fields, which extended, almost prairie-like, all the way from Cherokee Station to the hills in possession of the enemy. A "wet weather" branch of Cane Creek flows at the foot of the hills. The first rays of the rising sun gave us some light as to the enemy's forces.

He opened on us with artillery (rifle pieces) planted on the hill in my immediate front, and deployed a large column of cavalry on my right. The skirmishers of the First Brigade engaged those of the rebels in front and exchanged a brisk fire, while I dispatched Colonel Heath to the right with part of the Fifth Ohio Cavalry and two battalions of infantry of First Brigade. My instructions to the former were not only to check the advance of the enemy on that flank, but to attempt to gain his flank in turn; to the latter, to support the movements of the cavalry.

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*See pp.16,17.

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