HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Murfreesborough, Tenn., May 16, 1863.

COLONEL: My attention having been called by Major-General rousseau to the fact that Col. B. F. Scribner's brigade had not been mentioned by the major-general commanding the department, for the part it took in the battle of Stone's River, I cheerfully submit the following statement, premising that in my official report of the battle of Stone's River it was my earnest endeavor to do equal justice to the commands of Colonels Beatty, Scribner, and Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd, as well as to all the other troops under my command, and thought the best way of so doing, without extending my report to too great a length, was to give a succinct narrative of the events of the battle, and then refer to the reports of the subordinate commanders for more detailed information. This I did, with the more confidence in the justice of that course, from the fact that, after a careful reading of the different reports, I perceived no discrepancy in the accounts given in these reports of the events of the battle in which different portions of my command acted together. In my official report is the following:

As it became necessary for General Sheridan to fall back, the enemy pressed on still farther to our rear, and soon took up a position which gave them a concentrated cross-fire of musketry and cannon on General Negley's and Rousseaus' troops at short range. This compelled me to fall back through the cedar woods and take up a line along a depression in the open ground, within good musket-range of the edge of the woods, while the artillery was retired to the high ground on the right of the turnpike. From this last position we were enable to drive back the enemy, cover the formation of our troops, and secure the center on the high ground. In the execution of this last movement, the regular brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, came under a most murderous fire, losing 22 officers and 508 men in killed and wounded, but, with the co-operation of Scribner's and Beatty's brigades and Guenther's and Loomis' batteries, gallantly held its ground against overwhelming odds-

thus connecting these three gallant brigades together in the honorable and distinguished work of covering the formation of the troops on the elevated ground in their rear, when the enemy was straining every nerve to gain possession of the same point.

I now ;quote Colonel Scribner's report of the part taken by his brigade at this period of the battle:*

* * * * *

Colonel Scribner's brigade was at this time to the right of the regular brigade, and advanced into the cedars.

It gives me much pleasure to be able to testify, further, that the efficiency of this brigade, so long commanded by Colonel Scribner, is second to none in this army.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

Lieut. Col. C. GODDARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Hdqrs. Dept. of the Cumberland.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. DEPT. CUMBERLAND, May 18, 1863.

I forward with pleasure General Thomas' special notice of the part taken by Colonel Scribner in the battle of Stone's River. It supplies an omission in the report of General Rousseau, which was the reason why a notice of it did not appear in my report.

W. S. ROSECRANS,
Major-General.

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

*See report 65, paragraphs 4-7, both inclusive.

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