Numbers 86. Report of Colonel A. Watson Webber, Fifty-first U. S. Colored Infantry, of operations April 1-9.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTY-FIRST U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Blakely, Ala., April 11, 1865.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the attack upon and capture of Blakely:

With the rest of the brigade my regiment was held in reserve the 1st and 2nd days of April, during which time but one slight casualty occurred. On the evening of the 2nd the regiment was ordered to the front, taking position on the left of the Fiftieth Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry and connecting on the left with the right of General Pile's brigade (First Brigade, Division, U. S. Colored Troops). The command remained at the front, partaking in all the active operations of the division,until the evening of the 8th, when it was relieved from duty in the trenches by the Forty-seventh U. S. Colored Infantry, until then held in reserve. On the 9th, at 5 p.m. the regiment was again ordered to the front and participated in the successful assault made upon the enemy's works. While making the charge six men in one company were severely wounded by the explosion of one of the enemy's subterra shells. A full list of casualties is forwarded herewith.* The gallantry of the officers and men of my command during all the operations was so universal that to enumerate special cases would be invidious. There can be no doubt now, in the minds of their officers at least, but that our colored soldiers are brave and will fight.

I have the honor to be, lieutenant,your very obedient servant,

A. WATSON WEBBER,

Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant T. SUMNER GREENE.

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 1st Div., U. S. Colored Troops.

Numbers 87. Report of Colonel Charles W. Drew, Seventy-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry, commanding Third Brigade,of operations April 1-9.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
Blakely, Ala., April 13, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command from the commencement of the siege to the occupation of Blakely by our troops:

On the night of April 1 my brigade was ordered to encamp in line of battle to the right of the Stockton road about two miles and a half from the enemy's works, which was done in the following order: The Sixty-eighth Regiment on the right, the Seventy-sixth in the center, and the Forty-eighth on the left, the command occupying the advance and extreme right. The next morning about 7.30 our pickets becoming warmly engaged, I formed line as quickly as possible, when I received an order to advance in line of battle. I immediately ordered two companies from each regiment deployed forward as skirmishers, and commenced the advance, which was continued for two miles through a thickly wooded and broken country, my skirmishers fighting about half the way. Notwithstanding the numerous obstacles

---------------

*Nominal list (here omitted) shows 2 men killed and 1 officer and 14 men wounded.

---------------