upon one regiment at another, and again went in, and remained during the fight. I have no censure for a single man of my command, but the highest praise for them all. I did not see the Thirty-fifth and Ninety-ninth during the engagement.

My loss, in killed, wounded, and missing, was 55.

With the greatest respect, I remain, your obedient servant,

J. C. EVANS,

Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-first Kentucky Vols., Comdg. Regiment

Colonel S. W. PRICE,

Commanding Third Brigade.

Numbers 163. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Richard W. McClain, Fifty-first Ohio Infantry.

HDQRS. FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, Camp near Murfreesborough, Tenn., January --, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Fifty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in front of Murfreesborough during the late engagement:

On our arrival at Stone's River, on Monday evening, December 29, 1862, my regiment was ordered on picket duty, to take post to the left of the pickets of General Wood's division, where we remained until Wednesday morning, December 31, when we received orders to rejoin our brigade, which was then en route for the purpose of crossing Stone's River. After we had crossed over, the Fifty-first was assigned its position in the center of the first line of battle; the Eighth Kentucky on our right, and the Thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry on our left. We had not been in line of battle over half an hour, when I received orders to recross the river and take position opposite the ford, where we remained until 1 p. m., when the enemy's cavalry, with two pieces of artillery, made a dash at our hospital wagons, which had not yet recrossed. Thereupon the Fifty-first was ordered to change position some 40 paces to the rear, in order to open the way for one of our batteries to open fire upon the enemy. We remained in that position until 3 p. m. The enemy's shot commenced falling among us, and we were again ordered to change our position about 100 yards to the rear, and out of range of the enemy's battery, where we remained during the night.

On Thursday morning, January 1, at 5.30 o'clock, I received orders from Colonel Samuel Beatty, then commanding the Third Division, "to take the Fifty-first Ohio and throw it across Stone's River immediately; then to deploy four companies as skirmishers, holding the remaining six companies as a 'reserve;'" adding at the same time, "move your regiment forward," and he would throw additional forces to support me, and, if possible, to accomplish this before it was clearly light, which was done. Our line of skirmishers had not advanced far before a spirited fire was opened between them and the enemy's line of skirmishers. In a few minutes I received orders to "halt the line of skirmishers and not bring on an engagement," which I did.

The six companies of reserve were then ordered to take position on the eminence on the right of the first line of battle, my right resting near Stone's River, while the Eighth Kentucky and Thirty-fifth Indiana formed on our left. We immediately discovered a battery of the enemy