In front of the Second Division, at the railroad depot, are several brick building, which have been loopholed and are occupied by small parties of infantry.

First and Second Creeks have been dammed, forming a barrier in front of fully two-thirds of the [ground] held by the Second Division.

Benjamin's and Buckley's batteries, as above stated, defend Fort Sanders. Roemer's, Edwards', and Von Sehlen's batteries are protected by earth-works, the two latter by cotton-bale embrasures.

The entire front held by the corps is a line of rifle-pits, in advance of which, at varying distance, is a line of skirmishers. In front of the Second Division the distance is some 800 yards, a strong position and well protected. The intrenched line held by the First Division is about 1 1/4 miles in length; that held by the Second Division about five-eighths of a mile. The skirmish line of the Second Division covers a front, in direct line from flank to flank, of 1 1/8 miles.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT B. POTTER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel LEWIS RICHMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Knoxville, November 24, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to offer the following report of he transactions on my front during the night of the 23rd and morning of the 24th instant:

About half past 8 on the evening of the 23d, it being then quite dark and hazy, the enemy suddenly advanced in force on my front, near the Clinton road.

The enemy were not received until well up with the line of skirmishers, when they poured in a heavy fire, driving our men in and following them up closely. The firing parties barely had time to fire the buildings, and some of them were taken before they could make their escape. Many of the fires the enemy succeeded in getting under [control], but several houses were in flames, particularly the machine shops and round-house on the railroad occupied by the ordnance department, which last contained a good deal of explosive material and prevented any farther advance of the enemy, if such was meditated. The line of skirmishers on the right fell back just far enough to protect their flanks, but no farther. Colonel Hartranft, as soon as it was possible, from the subsidence of the fires, advanced his skirmishers through the burning ruins, but they were unable to recover all their ground, the enemy occupying it in considerable force, with men in all the buildings in which they had succeeded in extinguishing the fires. I ordered Colonel Hartranft to make his arrangements to recover all the lost ground at daylight in the morning. For this purpose he detailed the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers and the Twenty-first Massachusetts Volunteers, the whole under command of

Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkes. Reilly's brigade, Hascall's division, Twenty-third Corps, supplied their places in the rifle-pits, the rest of Reilly's brigade being held in reserve in the town. I also sent a note to General Ferrero to watch his opportunity,

22 R R-VOL XXXI, PT I