Third Brigade to be in the thickest of all this conflict, as its long list, of casualties attests, and whether in covering a retreat, in making a night attack, in meeting an assault, or in the charge, all, both officers and men, have performed their duties assigned them with the most determined bravery, and have proved themselves reliable in any emergency.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. HUMPHREY,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain GEORGE A. HICKS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 19.

Report of Maj. Cornelius Byington, Second Michigan Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND MICHIGAN INFANTRY, Knoxville, Tennessee, November 22, 1863.

SIR: In accordance with orders from brigade headquarters, I have to make the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the operations of the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th of November:

About noon of the 14th November, the regiment left its quarters near Lenoir's Station, Tennessee, and marched to Huff's Ferry, arriving early in the evening, and bivouacked near that place.

Early in the morning of 15th November, commenced our march back toward Lenoir's Station, where we arrived about noon of the same day and bivouacked in the fields between the river and station. Here we remained about four hours. At the end of that time this regiment, together with the Seventeenth Michigan, moved out the Kingston road to the night ground about 250 yards in front of the station and formed in line, right in front, on the right of the road and perpendicular to it, the right of the regiment being near to and in support of a section of Roemer's battery. On this ground we remained till about 2 o'clock in the morning of the 16th, when we fell back to our former position in rear of the railroad and parallel to it.

About daybreak this regiment, with the Twentieth Michigan, left the station, moving back on the road toward Knoxville, leaving the Seventeenth Michigan behind us, our brigade forming the rear guard in the retreat. About 9 o'clock in the morning we halted in our march and formed in line of battle, right in front, on the right of the road facing toward Lenoir's Station, in rear of

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Creek, one company being thrown out to skirmish on our right flank, the Twentieth Michigan being forward in line of battle on our left, to the left of road, in support of the Seventeenth Michigan, which had commenced skirmishing with the enemy on the other side of the creek. Here we remained a short time without exchanging shots with the enemy and then moved off by the right flank on our line of retreat, the skirmishers moving along with us on our left flank.

About 1 mile from

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Creek we halted, formed in line of battle in the same manner as before on the brow of an elevation, the right of the regiment being in the woods, the left in the fields, and threw out one company to skirmish in front of the regimental line, the left of the line being in support of one section of Roemer's battery. From this point we fell back slowly in line of battle through