give them the finishing touch. The charge was made in good style, but the number of our cavalry was insufficient for an effectual pursuit, and so the enemy got away, and was even able to take his guns along, which,with innumerable prisoners, must have fallen into my hands could I have made a hot pursuit.

I have now with me, as prisoners, 5 commissioned officers, among them the inspector-general of General Kelly's division, and a surgeon, and 126 men of different regiments. Wheeler commanded in person, and it was reported to him, as the prisoners state, that I had 600 wagons in my train, which he expected to take without great trouble.

The casualties on my side are as follows: Third Division, 2 commissioned officers wounded, 2 men killed, 8 men wounded, 1 man missing; Second Division, 4 men wounded.

The rebels lost, besides the number stated, several severely wounded, which I am obliged to leave behind, and probably several killed. The number of small-arms thrown away by them is rather large, and they will undoubtedly be gathered up by Colonel Long. I shall pursue my march at daybreak to-morrow.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BERNARD LAIBOLDT,

Colonel Second Infantry Missouri Volunteers.

Brigadier General W. D. Whipple,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of the Cumberland.

P. S.- Our infantry numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 convalescent men returning from furlough, and others,who had been absent and belonged to the two divisions of the Fourth Army Corps. Long's cavalry, with which he charged the rebels, 150.

DECEMBER 28, 1863-JANUARY 4, 1864.-Expedition from Nashville, Tennessee, to Creelsborough, Ky.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Andrew J. Cropsey, One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS 129TH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tennessee, January 4, 1864.

COLONEL: In obedience to orders from you and General Grant,with 140 sharpshooters and 3 commissioned officers, on the morning of the 28th of December, I proceeded up the Cumberland River with two gunboats and three transports. The transports with 100 of the sharpshooters were left at Carthage. We then continued up the river until we arrived, on the evening of the 31th December, 1863,at Creelsborough, Ky. This place is 325 miles from Nashville, and 75 miles below the mouth of Big South Fork, the head of navigation.

On the way up we were fired upon by guerrillas five different times. The bands seemed to vary in number from 10 to 15 up to 75 or 100,but they were so high up on the bluffs, and concealed so well in the thick timber, behind rock and trees,that their number couldn't to a certainty be ascertained, neither could the 40 sharpshooters have much effect upon them, though they manifested much zeal and skill, but the gunboats with shell and shrapnel quickly dislodged them,