SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,

No. 22. Chattanooga, Tennessee, May 26, 1864.

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VII. The proceedings and findings of the Court of Inquiry in the case of Maj. Gen. Carl Schurz, commanding Third Division, Eleventh Army Corps, instituted by Paragraph XI, Special Field Orders, No. 23, current series, from these headquarters, are approved.

The Court is hereby dissolved.

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By command of Major-General Thomas:

WILLIAM McMICHAEL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 38.

Report of Lieutenant General James Longstreet, C. S. Army, commanding corps, with field dispatches, &c.

GREENEVILLE, Tennessee, March 25, 1864.

COLONEL: Up to October 9, 1863, my forces were along the regular line of investment, extending from Lookout Mountain, on the left, to Lieutenant Gen. D. H. Hill's corps, on the right. My left occupied the base of the mountain, and sharpshooters extended the line to the river on the west slope of the mountain. I had a small picket upon the summit of the mountain, and a small cavalry force about Trenton reported to me from time to time.

On the 9th, I received orders to send my sharpshooters down the river to occupy a point on the left bank between Raccoon Mountain and Walden's Ridge for the purpose of preventing the use of the road on the opposite bank by the enemy's wagon trains. As I had but a small force of sharpshooters I thought it best to send a brigade in addition, as a smaller force would be liable to be cut off and captured. A brigade was thought to be force enough to secure its retreat to the mountains, and finally to make its escape to our main force should a movement be made against it.

General Law's brigade was selected for the service, and a sufficient force was ordered to the point indicated as soon as practicable. Pits were sunk and occupied by the troops, and they effectually put a stop to the travel on the road on the opposite bank. We were advised in a few days, however, that the enemy was using another road, a little longer, which avoided this point, and he had several other roads of communication that were entirely beyond our reach, particularly the Poe and Anderson roads.

On the 25th, I was ordered to make a reconnaissance in the direction of Bridgeport. This reconnaissance was interrupted by the enemy making a crossing of the river at Brown's Ferry, about 3 miles below the point of Lookout Mountain. As soon as the crossing was discovered, the troops near the point assembled and drove back the enemy's advance, but the force was found to be crossing in too much strength to be successfully opposed by a brigade. The brigade was, therefore, concentrated and withdrawn to the foot of the mountain on the west side. The force near the crossing was