The supplies in the hands of the post commissary were loaded in a car, which was placed on the north side of the river. Knowing as I did that we might be compelled to retire at any hour, I kept an engine for the purpose of taking a car off when necessary. Mr. Wallace, the president of the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, repeatedly ordered the engine to Loudon; but conceiving that it would be much more useful to the Government where it was, I took the liberty of keeping it. On the night of November 29, 1863, he informed me by telegraph that the engine at Charleston was unserviceable and that if I would send it to Loudon he would send me by 8 o'clock next morning a serviceable one in its stead. I had the engine thoroughly inspected by those who should have been familiar with the machinery, and their opinion was that its power of locomotion might be at any time entirely destroyed. Under such circumstances, I sent Captain Day, post assistant quartermaster, on the engine to Loudon, with instructions to bring back by 8 o'clock next morning (this was 8 o'clock at night) a serviceable engine from Loudon.

I left Charleston at 3 p. m., on November 30, 1863. Up to that time no engine reached us, and I subsequently learned that none was ever sent to us. Knowing that the supplies must necessarily fall into the hands of the enemy, I ordered them to be distributed among the citizens. Though I regretted very much the loss of the supplies, yet I am certain had they been taken to Loudon they would have been lost there, for a quantity of quartermaster's and commissary stores were destroyed at that place because there was no transportation for them. I took in my wagons as large a quantity of the supplies as I could.

I take great pleasure in acknowledging the service performed by Captain Van Dyke and his company. With 40 men he covered our entire front, and executed with promptness and efficiency every duty assigned him. There were eight roads leading from the south side of the river to our position. Under such circumstances it was unsafe to have the picket posts stationary. It was necessary that the whole cavalry force should be a constant patrol.

I placed the cavalrymen of Major Shaw's battalion under command of a captain, and ordered him to establish communication with Dalton, Ga., via Spring Place, by couriers. I sent a number of dispatches to Colonel Brent, assistant adjutant-general, Army of Tennessee, and to yourself, by this courier line, but I had not intelligence at all from the Army of Tennessee, except what I received (the order previously mentioned) sent by General Bragg to Lieutenant-General Longstreet.

I must be permitted to return my thanks for the valuable assistance rendered by Lieutenant Colonel A. D. Gwynne and Major H. W. Cotter, Thirty-eighth Tennessee Regiment; Major J. P. Trezevant and Major Maney, commissaries at the post; Captains McCalla and Ramsey, engineer troops; Captains Neely and Nevill, Lieutenant and Adjt. R. L. Caruthers, Thirty-eighth Tennessee Regiment, and Mr. J. A. Gardenhire, acting post adjutant.

To the soldiers I give all the praise. They manifested, as they have always done, unflinching courage and devoted patriotism.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. CARTER,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain LEON TROUSDALE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Wright's Brigade.