two of the enemy's pieces fired at, being directly in my front, and drew upon me the fire of hour or five of the other pieces to my right and front.

This accomplished, the firing was not continued.

On Saturday the battery was not engaged, and Saturday night, having been so ordered by General Breckinridge, withdrew from the field as a part of the rear guard.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. COBB,

Captain, Commanding Battery.

Capt. T. E. STAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 248. Report of Brig. Gen. John K. Jackson, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

HEADQUARTERS JACKSON'S BRIGADE, January 22, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that in the recent battles before Murfreesborough my brigade consisted of the Fifth and the Eighth Mississippi Regiments, the Fifth Georgia Regiment, a battalion of sharpshooters commanded by MajorJ. J. Cox, and [E. E.] Pritchard's battery. They were moved to various parts of the field, and at different times occupied positions in the front line, on the extreme right, on the left of the right wing, on the right of the left wing, and on the extreme left, Pritchard's battery, belonging to my brigade, being insufficiently manned, only two pieces were carried from Bridgeport to Murfreesborough. These, by order of Lieutenant-General Hardee, were left in the earthwork in the town of Murfreesborough, and were never brought into action. The two rifle pieces of Lumsden's battery, which had been ordered to report to me, were, by order of Lieutenant-General Hardee, subsequently ordered to report to Major-General Breckinridge, thus leaving me but two smooth-bore pieces of artillery of Lumsden's battery. These pieces were brought into action on Wednesday, December 31, [1862,] at long range, expending about 50 rounds of ammunition.

I am informed that the two rifle pieces were placed in position by orders from Major-General Breckinridge, and did good service, expending about 200 rounds of ammunition.

There were no casualties in the artillery of my command.

On the morning of December 31, while maneuvering in front of the enemy's left, I received an order to cross Stone's River at the ford and support Brigadier-General Donelson's brigade, reporting for this purpose to Lieutenant-General Polk. Upon doing so, I was directed to leave the two pieces of artillery and push forward with my infantry to a point indicated beyond the ruins of a house [Cowan's], where the battle was raging fiercely. I advanced, passing Brigadier-General Donelson's brigade, a part of Brigadier-General Chalmers' brigade, and a part of the brigade commanded by Colonel Coltart. My command became immediately engaged, and so continued for about three hours. Twice I ordered a charge upon the enemy's strong position, but for the want of support from others, and the smallness of my own numbers, was forced to take the cover of a thick cedar wood. Both times my men fell back in good order and were reformed in line, until they were ordered to retire