HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY, Camp near Knoxville, East Tennessee, November 21, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to orders from brigade headquarters, I started with my command at an early hour last evening to effect the destruction of the brick building which served as a safe cover for the enemy's sharpshooters in front of our fort batteries. On reaching our line of skirmishers I found the building was occupied by the enemy. Awaiting a favorable moment, Companies A and F, under command of Lieutenants Archibald and Billingsley, were deployed as skirmishers, and moved rapidly forward, followed by the burning party of 5 picked men, with orders to rally on the building. Pending this movement the regiment was drawn up in front of the skirmish line of Colonel Morrison's brigade. Skirmishers were thrown out on each flank, and the regiment was moved forward on the double-quick to support the detachment selected to clear and burn the building. The enemy in and around the building, after firing one volley and a few random shots, fled precipitately. After seeing the brick building and the out-buildings in its immediate vicinity well fired, the regiment moved back in good order to the skirmish line, where we remained a short time, to prevent any successful attempt of the enemy to save the building. Seeing no attempt made, we retired, coming up the road on the left of the fort, to avoid the glare of the fires and the fire of the enemy's pickets. Just before reaching the

rifle-pits the enemy opened fire on us with artillery, killing 2 and wounding 4. Owing a sharp cross-fire from the enemy's pickets on our right, and a fire in the rear of that part of our line which, from some misapprehension, came from the pickets of this brigade, it was not deemed advisable to make any persistent attempt to destroy the log barn on the hill to the right of the buildings burned. With this unimportant exception, the object of the expedition, the object of the expedition was successfully attained.

To Captain E. W. Swift, acting major, and Adjt. R. A. Watts much credit is due for their gallant and efficient conduct on the occasion, and it affords me great pleasure to report that the conduct of the officers and men of the entire command was entirely satisfactory.

In the death on Lieutenant Billingsley the regiment and service have sustained the loss of a brave and efficient officer. All the wounded, owing to the very slight nature of the wounds, are still on duty with their companies.

Inclosed is a list of casualties.*

Respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. L. COMSTOCK,

Lieutenant Colonel, Comdg. Seventeenth Michigan Volunteers.

Lieutenant B. H. BERRY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 22.

Reports of Maj. Byron M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH MICHIGAN INFANTRY, Fortifications before Knoxville, Tennessee, November 21, 1863.

SIR: In accordance with orders from brigade headquarters of this date I have the honor to forward the following report of operations

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*Shows 1 officer and 1 man killed and 4 men wounded.

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24 R R-VOL XXXI, PT I