and which now was so inflamed as to render it improper and dangerous to continue longer in the field.

On the morning of the 28th, we started at daylight, in a drenching rain, and arrived at Rankin's Ferry about 10 a.m., and immediately dispatched a courier to General Hooker to report our arrival and ask for orders. He had passed the evening before, and it was most difficult to reach him. At the forks of the road, 1 1/2 miles from Rankin's Ferry, we met a courier from Brig. General J. St. Clair Morton, informing the general (Cruft) that the pontoon bridge had been placed for him at Shellmound, but, the orders being positive to go to Rankin's Ferry, the general conceived it to be his duty to go to that point and report. This was immediately done, and the 28th we remained in camp waiting for orders.

On the 29th, a steam-tug came up the river with 2 barges, loaded with supplies for General Hooker. We hailed her arrival with joy, as it gave an assurance that the river was open, and all danger of any suffering in Chattanooga for supplies was at an end. About 12.30 orders were received from headquarters and from General Hooker to cross the river at Shellmound and join General Hooker. This we did, and encamped that night at Shellmound, on the south side of the river.

On the 30th, we waited until the boat came up from Bridgeport, from which we obtained supplies, broke up camp, and started in the most desperate rain I ever encountered. All our baggage had been left at Manchester two months before. Our soldiers are without tents and generally without blankets, and suffer dreadfully in such weather. Orders were received during the day to leave one brigade and the battery at Shellmound, and move the remainder of the command to Whiteside's. This was done on the 31st. The Third Brigade and headquarters there awaited orders.

No. 7.

Report of Brig. General William B. Hazen, U. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade, Third Division.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Brown's Ferry, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 30, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report as follows of the part taken by troops under my command in the occupation of the left bank of the Tennessee River at this point:

On the morning of the 25th instant, I reported, by order of the commanding officer of the Fourth Army Corps, to the chief engineer of this army for instructions, and was then briefly informed, for the first time, of the duty to be assigned me, and the method of performing it, which was to organize fifty squads of 1 officer and 24 men each, to embark in boats at Chattanooga and float down the river to this point, a distance, by the bends of the river, of 9 miles, and land upon its left bank, then occupied by the enemy, making, thereafter, immediate dispositions for holding it, while the remaining portions of my brigade, and another one, should be speedily sent over the river in the same boats to re-enforce me; the movement was to be made just before daylight, on the morning of the 27th.