No. 32.

Report of Maj. William W. Wheeler, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD MICHIGAN INFANTRY, Knoxville, Tennessee, November 30, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that while the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry Volunteers (a part of the Second Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, Army of the Ohio) was in camp opposite Loudon, Tennessee (after the evacuation of that place by our forces on the 28th October, ultimo), by order of Brig. General Julius White, commanding said Second Division, I was directed, near midnight of the 13th and 14th instant, to proceed with the

Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers and one section of Henshaw's (independent Illinois) battery toward Huff's Ferry (which is opposite the lower fortification at Loudon) for the purpose of verifying the information received of the passage of a portion of the enemy's forces on a pontoon bridge thrown across the river at that point.

About 2 o'clock on the morning of the 14th instant, I arrived with the forces above mentioned at a point distant about 1 mile from Huff's Ferry, having marched about 5 miles on the route, when I received an order from Brigadier-General White addressed to me, ordering me to return immediately to camp with the forces under my command. On reaching camp, in compliance with this order, I received instructions from your headquarters to send all baggage and transportation of the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers to the rear toward Lenoir's and to march my regiment as escort of the division and brigade trains.

As directed, the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers marched to Lenoir's, a distance of nearly 5 miles. At 12 m. of that day (Saturday, the 14th instant) I received orders from you to march my regiment (the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers) toward Loudon, in rear of the other troops forming the Second Brigade aforesaid.

Passing the site of our camp left that morning, the Twenty-third Michigan, with the brigade column, had reached a point distant about 2 miles from Huff's Ferry, when I received an order from Brigadier-General White to march the regiment in support of Captain Sims' (Twenty-fourth Indiana) battery, with which I proceeded in advance about half a mile, taking a position there assigned, and remained there during the night. Two sections of Henshaw's (independent Illinois) battery in the meanwhile came up and took position at the same point. At 5 a.m. Sunday, the 15th instant, I received orders from General White to proceed to the rear as rapidly as possible with the two batteries above mentioned.

For more than twenty-four hours the rain had fallen in torrents, and the roads, difficult at the best were almost impassable for carriages. I therefore distributed the men of my command along the traces attached to the carriages, and by dint of the most arduous toil succeeded in reaching Lenoir's about 11 a.m., a distance of 9 miles. Here my command was again assigned to the support of the Twenty-fourth Indiana Battery, which was placed on a height commanding the river road from Loudon.

At 3 a.m., Monday, the 16th instant, I received an order from your headquarters to destroy my regimental wagons and to proceed toward Knoxville, in escort of Henshaw's (Illinois) battery. The