No. 6.

Report of Colonel Villiam H. Morgan, Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry,commanding Third Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Grand Junction, Tennessee, January 11, 1864.

GENERALS: Compelled by false and slanderous reports,put in circulation in reference to me and the troops which I have the honor to command,to prepare an official report of my and their operations of late,a copy is respectfully submitted for your perusal.

Feeling confident,in fact knowing,that no other motive that a desire to do justice to all within your jurisdiction prompts you or your decisions when estimating their abilities,and believing that an effort has been made to prejudice your mind against us,and this,to,by false representations,we feel it a duty incumbent on us to present the facts clearly,distinctly,and fairly to your mind.

Our case is,therefore,respectfully submitted for your decision. That we are not responsible for the errors committed in the recent operations in this quarter is our opinion, and that we are not willing to shoulder the military blunders of our superiors we boldly assert. In the highest respect, I have the honor to be,general,your obedient servant,

VILLIAM H. MORGAN,

Colonel Twenty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Comdg.

Maj. Gen. STEPHEN A. HURLBUT,

Commanding Sixteenth Corps, Memphis.

[Inclosure]

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Grand Junction, January 4, 1864.

CAPTAIN: We proposes herein to furnish in detail,though as briefly as possible,a sketch of the operations of this brigade from the 27th to the 31st day of December, 1863. In order that its object may be fully understood,or that the facts may be clearly,distinctly,fairly,and correctly presented to the mind of the general commanding,it is thought best that we should particularize a little,or,as stated in the beginning, to conduct our report in detail. The following is,therefore,volunteered and respectfully submitted:

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 27th of December last,we received at brigade headquarters,in Grand Junction, Tennessee,a telegram from Brigadier-General Grierson,at La Grange,directing this command to move by rail,and as quickly as possible,west to LA Fayette,the object being to intercept the rebel General Forrest,who,with his command,was said to be crossing Wolf River and railroad at that point from the north.

This order was communicated verbally,and without a moment's hesitation,to each regimental and the artillery commander,and by them in the same manner to their respective commands. We think it would approach very near a statement to say that from the time this order was received and issued from these headquarters to that of its reception by the troops near five minutes had elapsed.

At the expiration of this time however,every officer and man was actively engaged in making such preparations,and such only,as