On the evening of the 31st, I received orders from the major-general commanding to rejoin the First Division, which was done about 11 p.m.

On January 1, this division was moved a little to the right and rear. My brigade occupied a central position in the division, on the front line of battle,and a short distance to the left of the Murfreesborough pike. We were hardly in position before the enemy drove in our skirmishers. Bradley's battery, in conjunction with several others in our front, opened a most destructive fire of case-shot and shell, driving the enemy from our front and sustaining no loss.

On January 2, Bradley's battery being in position on a small eminence on our front, supported on the right by the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Ohio, behind a small clump of trees, and on the left by the Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers lying in a skirt of timber, while the Thirteenth Michigan and Seventy-third Indiana were in reserve, three batteries of the enemy opened upon us. They were promptly responded to by Captain Bradley and other batteries on my right, when the most fearful artillery engagement ensued which I had yet had the experience to witness. The enemy,having our range quite perfectly, poured upon us a most destructive fire, causing the battery on our right to be abandoned; but Captain Bradley, continued his well-directed firing until the enemy's batteries were silenced .

While this engagement was going on, Captain Stoke's battery, posted in our rear, opened upon us, mistaking us for the enemy. It is due to Captain Stokes, however, to say that I believe this firing was commenced without his orders, and was stopped by him as soon as it was possible for his to do so, but not until we had sustained some injury.

During the engagement we had 1 man killed and 11 wounded.

On the evening of the same day, when the enemy attacked the left flank of our army with great vigor, Bradley's battery was again placed in position, and did good service in silencing those of the enemy.

About dark on the evening of the 2nd instant we were ordered to cross Stone's River. My brigade was placed in the front line, my right resting on the left of General Davis' division. We were hardly in position before the enemy opened upon us, killing 1 man of the Sixty-fourth Ohio.

During the night we constructed a musket breastwork of rails, and remained on the front until about 9 a.m., January 3, when we were relieved and ordered to the rear in reserve, where we remained until about 3 p.m. when we were again ordered to the front to relieve Colonel Wagner's brigade, and occupied a position on the left of the First Division.

We remained in this position until about 1 a.m., January 4, when we received orders to recross Stone's River. We crossed the stream and took a position in rear of the main body of our force, and about 500 yards to the left of the railroad, where we remained until our troops had occupied Murfreesborough.

The loss in killed, wounded, and missing during these six days' engagements was as follows:

The Fifty-first Indiana-officers wounded, 2; enlisted men killed, 7; wounded, 32; missing, 9. Total, 50.

The Sixty-fourth Ohio-officers killed, 1; wounded,3; enlisted men killed, 23; wounded, 61; missing 17. Total, 105.

The Thirteenth Michigan-officers wounded, 2; enlisted men killed, 17; wounded, 70. Total, 89.

The Seventy-third Indiana Volunteers-officers killed, 2; wounded, 3; enlisted men killed, 22; wounded, 48; missing, 36. Total, 111.