Surg. D. W. Young deserves especial notice for his untiring efforts to care for the wounded.

In General Sill we all feel that we have lost an able commander and a kind friend; though but a short time with us, he had endeared himself to the whole command by his quiet, unassuming disposition, combining gentleness with strict discipline, courageous in action almost to a fault. We all feel that the brigade and the service have lost an officer hard to be replaced.

I inclose with this the reports of the commanders of the different regiments; also a complete list of casualties, the aggregate of which is as follows: Killed, 102; wounded, 369; missing, 200. Total, 671.*

I am, sir, yours, very respectfully,

N. GREUSEL,

Colonel, Commanding First Brigade, Third Division.

Lieut. GEORGE LEE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Division.

No. 55. Report of Capt. Porter C. Olson, Thirty-sixth Illinois Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS, January 9, 1863.

The Thirty-sixth Illinois Regiment, Col. N. Greusel commanding, was called into line at 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning, December 30, 1862, and stood under arms until daylight, to the left of the Wilkinson pike, our right resting upon it, and 5 miles from Murfreesborough. At 9 a.m. we moved forward to Murfreesborough; two companies were deployed as skirmishers to the right of the road, and were soon engaged with the enemy's skirmishers. When 2 miles from Murfreesborough the regiment was deployed in the corn-field to the right of the pike, and two companies were deployed forward as skirmishers, as ordered by General Sill. The regiment lay in line in this field until 2 p.m., at which time the whole line was ordered to advance. The skirmishers kept up a sharp fight, the enemy's line retreating and ours advancing. We drove the enemy through the timber and across the cotton-field, a low, narrow strip stretching to the right into the timber. A rebel battery, directly in front of the Thirty-sixth, directed a heavy fire on us. Our skirmishers advanced to the foot of the hill, near the cotton-field, and here kept up a well-directed fire. We were ordered to support Captain Bush's battery, which was brought into position in the point of timber where our right rested, and opened fire with terrible effect upon the enemy. We remained as a support until nearly dark, when Captain Bush went to the rear, the enemy's battery, or, rather, its disabled fragments, having been dragged from the field. In this day's engagement the regiment lost 3 killed and 15 wounded; total, 18. We occupied the hill during the night, and our skirmishers were in line at the edge of the cotton-field.

On the morning of December 31, soon after daylight, the enemy advanced in strong force from the timber from beyond the cotton-field opposite our right. They came diagonally across the field. Upon reaching

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*But see revised statement, p.209.

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