Numbers 21.

Report of Major General Carl Schurz, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, ELEVENTH ARMY CORPS,
Camp near Brown's Ferry, October 31, 1863.

GENERAL: About the part taken by my command in the night engagement of October 29, I have the honor to report as follows:

We arrived in camp near Brown's Ferry, north of the Kelley's Ferry road, about 4.30 p.m. on October 28. Part of my Third Brigade was left behind on detached service. The camp we occupied was flanked on the left by a row of steep hills; on the right by the Raccoon Mountain; front toward Wauhatchie. The road from Brown's Ferry to Wauhatchie runs along steep ridges intersected by gaps and ravines, through one of which runs the Kelleys' Ferry road, and through another the Chattanooga Railroad, the two being about 500 yards apart. On the right of the road is a valley about one-half mile wide, partly corn-fields and partly timber and brush. This valley is bordered on the right by the Raccoon Mountain. The hills are thickly wooded. My picket line ran along the Kelley's Ferry road, forming an angle where it touches the Raccoon Mountain so as to cover our right. General Geary's command, which had followed mine on the march, encamped at Wauhatchie, about 3 miles from our camp. About midnight we were disturbed by a few shots on our picket line, which, however, indicated nothing serious.

About 1 a.m., October 29, lively firing was heard in the direction of Wauhatchie. Soon after, I was ordered to send one of my brigades to occupy the hill in the angle formed by the road to Wauhatchie and the Chattanooga Railroad. I ordered my First Brigade, under General Tyndale, to move at once, and as rapidly as possible, and placed myself at the head of the column. It was bright moonlight. About one-half mile from our camp, while moving through the fields, in order to cut off the angles of the road, according to your direction, the flankers on my left were attacked by a rebel force concealed in the woods on a hill on my left, and my leading regiment received a full volley, which wounded 1 of my staff officers, Captain Lender, and several men. This rebel force was, however, immediately afterward attacked by regiments of the Second Division, and we continued our march toward the hill General Tyndale was to occupy. Finding the ground on the open field boggy and impassable just before reaching the base of hill, the brigade had to march by the left flank to gain the road.

The hill being in possession of the enemy, orders were given to take it. A short engagement ensued. The enemy was speedily dislodged, the regiments of my First Brigade moving up rapidly. General Tyndale then established himself in the position assigned to him. I reported this to General Hooker, who ordered me to form a junction with General Geary's command. I directed Colonel Krzyzanowski, commanding my Second Brigade, to occupy the gap northeast of the hill held by General Tyndale, and Colonel Hecker, commanding my Third Brigade, to march to Wauhatchie with the Sixty-eighth New York, the One hundred and forty-first New York, and six companies of the Eightieth Illinois. He was ordered to open a passage, at whatever cost, if he found the enemy in force on his way. The Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania was directed to occupy the railroad gap.