the center of your brigade, moved to the front, on the Nashville turnpike, and about 8 a.m. moved, through a dense cedar forest, toward the right wing of the army, which was then hotly engage by the enemy. After maneuvering for about an hour, we were ordered to retire, left in front, through the same forest, to near the position first occupied, on the right of the pike, in the timber. Here the enemy was discovered in strong force on our right and rear, charging toward the turnpike. The command was, by your order, immediately faced by the rear rank, and moved down on the flank of the enemy, who was now retiring before a column of our troops moving from the pike.

In this movement the Ninety-fourth Ohio was on our right and the Tenth Wisconsin was on our left. Company H, Captain Poindexter commanding, and Company B, First Lieutenant Lenau commanding, were deployed forward a skirmishers, moving steadily on the skirmishers of the enemy, capturing 6 of them, who were sent to the rear. Continuing our movements about 600 yards, we met the left of General Negley's command, which was now retiring before a heavy column of the enemy, and moved into position to their support. The left of this command having passed to the rear through our ranks, their center came into position on our right, and some 60 yards to the front. By your command the battalion was wheeled to the left, and moved forward with our left, now our right, joining their line. Before we were fairly in position, the enemy opened a heavy fire, and the troops on our right fell back, leaving the left of the battalion, now the right, exposed. I then moved the line by the flank, striving to continue the connection. The enemy now opening on our line, we at once faced to the front, and kept up a continuous fire for the space of twenty minutes, checking the enemy's advance, and holding him in check until your orders to retire to the pike were received. This was done in order, forming there on the right of the Second Ohio Volunteers. The enemy now appearing in force on the front, by your orders we changed front forward on left company, and advanced into the corn-field in front of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery. Lying down in this position, we remained, from 2 p.m. until dark, exposed to the fire of the enemy from the woods in front, awaiting their expected advance. Night closing the engagement, we lay in this position, with pickets advanced, until daylight, when we were relieved, and retire to the woods in our rear.

At 7.30 o'clock the engagement again opened on the front, when, by your orders, we moved forward on the double-quick, and were assigned to position on the right, to support Guenther's battery. In this position we have remained to resent date, exposed to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters and from their batteries on the front.

In the engagement of December 31, the command lost, in killed, Capt. James E. Fouts and 13 men; wounded and missing, supposed to be in the enemy's hospital, 3 men; wounded and in our hospital, Second Lieutenant M. T. Davis, Company C; Second Lieut. Thomas S. W. Hawkins, Company I, and 81 men. Total killed, 14; wounded 86.* For list of names of killed and wounded, I respectfully refer you to accompanying report.

I cannot close without commending, for their coolness and bravery on the field, each officer and soldier of my command engaged during the five days. Though suffering at times severely from cold, hunger, rain, and fatigue, yet not a murmur was heard not a duty flinched from. To MajorJ. B. Glover I am indebted for every support. In command of the skirmishers, and during the hottest of the fight, he was ever at his post. His horse received two wounds, himself escaping. My adjutant, George

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*But see revised statement, p.210.

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