It here came under the enemy's fire, especially from the rifle-pits on the north of the fort. At this time Gracie's brigade, which was moving up in rear and on the right, was ordered by the lieutenant-general commanding, who was in its front, to be withdrawn, and seeing it move to the rear, Johnson's brigade was halted, and the men covered themselves from the enemy's fire by lying flat on the ground. The attack was now abandoned, and my two brigades were ordered to relieve Humphreys', Benning's, and Wofford's, and to occupy with skirmishers our advanced rifle-pits within some 250 yards of the fort.

During the assault on Fort Loudon Johnson's brigade lost First Lieutenant S. M. Ross, of the Forty-fourth, and Private J. P. Hicks, of the Seventeenth and Twenty-third Tennessee Regiments, killed, and 2 lieutenants and 17 privates wounded. A list of the killed and wounded of this division at the assault on Fort Loudon was forwarded to you on December 3.

While the pickets were being relieved on November 29, Private John T. Dodson, of Company C, Forty-third Alabama Regiment, Gracie's brigade, was killed, and Private A. M. McMillan, of Company B, of the same regiment, was wounded.

On December 3, by order of the lieutenant-general commanding, my train left its camp near Knoxville preparatory to retiring our forces from that vicinity, to move via Strawberry Plains to Russellville, and the pickets from Gracie's brigade were relieved from duty in the rifle-pits.

On December 4, at dark, my command withdrew from the line of investment in front of Knoxville and moved in front of Longstreet's corps on the old stage road, which passes via Blain's Cross-Roads to Bean's Station and Rogersville. We marched all night over muddy roads and reached Blain's Cross-Roads about 4 p. m. on December 5.

The pickets of Johnson's brigade were withdrawn from the rifle-pits in front of Fort Loudon at 11 p. m. by Major Lowe, of the Twenty-third Tennessee, and brought up to the column. Many of my men were barefooted and poorly clad, and the weather was chilly and damp. I regret to state that during this and the subsequent march, as well as during the operations before Knoxville and the march to that place, many desertions occurred in this division, especially among the Tennessee troops.

On December 6th, we reached Rutledge, where we remained until the 8th endeavoring ineffectually to gather full rations for our farther march.

On December 9th, we encamped at Cloud's Creek, 5 miles west of Rogersville, and remained on half rations of flour and full rations of meat until the 13th, when my command moved back some 4 miles preparatory to a movement on the enemy at Bean's Station.

During this period (from December 9 to the 13th) several tanyards and shoe-shops were taken possession of by my order, and a number of tanners and shoemakers from my command were placed on extra duty preparing leather and shoes for the men.

On Monday, December 14, this division moved on Bean's Station at the head of the infantry, preceded by 100 cavalry, under Captain Moore, of Colonel Giltner's regiment. The roads were very wet and muddy and the weather was cold and inclement. Many of our men were barefooted, and of these numbers failed to keep up with their regiments. Others more enduring and persistent pressed nobly on, and were seen among the foremost and most active in the