in line of battle, just as our troops were falling back in some disorder, and, after delivering a volley or two, charged a rebel brigade of five regiments, routing them completely and taking some 200 prisoners. This was the final effort on the right. about 1 p.m. we stacked arms and supplied the men with ammunition, the Twenty-second and Forty-second joining soon after.

On the morning of January 1 we stood to arms at 3 o'clock, expecting an attack, and after daylight built a breastwork in front of the brigade line. In the afternoon a brigade of the enemy issued from the timber opposite our position and advanced on our line. As soon as they were in range, I opened with small-arms and shell, driving them back in disorder.

Observing that a part of them had skulked in the rocks, I sent out a strong line of skirmishers, under Lieutenant Hanback, of the Twenty-seventh Illinois, and captured 2 lieutenants and 117 men, mostly of the Third Confederate. The brigade occupied the same position on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of January, skirmishing more or less with the enemy every day.

The entire loss of the brigade is 3 commissioned officers killed, 12 wounded; 58 enlisted men killed, 328 wounded; 161 missing; making a total of 562.* This loss occurred on the 30th and 31st. I think there is a considerable number of wounded men in the hands of the enemy, who are now reckoned among the missing; but having no positive knowledge of their condition, we account for them in that way.

I cannot forbear to express the sorrow felt by the whole command at the loss of its senior officers, Colonels Roberts and Harrington. They had served with the brigade since last April, and had each been in command of it for a considerable time. Long service had made the command familiar with them, and inspired them with confidence in their judgment and skill. They fell in exactly the line of their duty, and each met a soldier's death, bravely.

L. P. BRADLEY,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Lieut. GEORGE LEE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Division.

No. 62. Reports of Major-General George H. Thomas, U. S. Army, commanding Center.

HDQRS. [CENTER] FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 15, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit to the major-general commanding the Department of the Cumberland the following report of the operations of that part of my command which was engaged in the battle of Stone's River, in front of Murfreesborough:

It is proper to state here that two brigades of Fry's division and Reynolds' entire division were detained near Gallatin and along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, to watch the movements of the rebel leader Morgan, who had been, for a long time, on the watch for an opportunity

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*But see revised statement, p.209.

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