and in the neighborhood and beyond the paper-mill, but from information received from citizens and from stragglers of the enemy I felt satisfied that the regiment in question had left before daylight, and that farther pursuit was useless. I returned to Knoxville at 4 p.m.

During this march we took a number of prisoners, including several officers, one a major of General Wheeler's staff. I also found a number of sick and wounded of the enemy in almost every house I passed, many of them destitute of medicines, rations, and medical attendance. At the paper-mill there were 130 sick and wounded. A mile below the mill, in a house abandoned by its former occupants, I found 12 entirely destitute; Captain Fuller, of the division staff, was present and made arrangements to supply their wants.

On the 7th of December, we left Knoxville, and arrived at Rutledge, East Tennessee, on the afternoon of the 9th. Left Rutledge on the 15th, and arrived near Blain's Cross-Roads on 16th, where the command is at present encamped.

From the time we broke camp at Lenoir's until we arrived at this point-whether on the march to Huff's Ferry; the night of duty in front while there; during a severe storm, without fire or shelter; the rapid march to Lenoir's and Campbell's Station; the six hours' fight at the latter place; the night march that followed; the eighteen day's siege at Knoxville, and the ardous duties since the raising of the siege; through all this on scant rations and scanter clothing-both officers and men behaved with the accustomed coolness and bravery and strict discipline so characteristic of them in previous campaigns and on numerous battle-fields.

To the members of my personal staff-Lieutenant Charles D. Browne,

Twenty-ninth Massachusetts, and Lieutenant E. N. Gilbert, Eighth Michigan Volunteers, as well as my orderly, Daniel K. Sell, Company E, Fiftieth Pennsylvania, and Corpl. Frank H. Barnhart, Company A, Fiftieth Pennsylvania (clerk at these headquarters), who acted as orderly- I am much indebted for their promptness and dispatch in the execution of every order.

To Captain Schwenk, Company A, Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, I am much indebted for the manner in which he handled his skirmishers on the evening we reached Huff's Ferry, and for the effort he made to penetrate the enemy's line in order to ascertain what he was doing. I am satisfied that in these attempts he failed only because success was impossible.

Great credit is due to Lieutenants Truckey and Hadwick, of

Twenty-seventh Michigan Volunteers, for the gallant manner in which they brought their skirmishers off the field at Campbell's Station after the regiment had left, and to the men for standing firmly at their posts, after their support was taken away, until they were called in.

Corp. William Johnson, of Company F, Twenty-seventh Michigan, went back alone under a heavy fire and succeeded in carrying off a wounded comrade to a place of safety. In like manner Private Francis Runciman, of Company H, returned and assisted a member of the Thirteenth Kentucky (whose foot had been shattered by a

cannon-ball) off the field. I append a list of casualties.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

B. C. CHRIST,

Colonel, Comdg. Second Brig., First Div., Ninth Army Corps.

Captain GEORGE A. HICKS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.