placed me under many obligations for the promptitude with which he delivered all orders, regardless of danger; and James Stone, volunteer aide to Brigadier-General McNair, who was ever with me, several times bearing his orders through the heaviest of the fight, is entitled to the thanks of the commander and his country.

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

R. W. HARPER,

Colonel, Comdg. Third Brigade, McCown's Division.

MajorH. S. BRADFORD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, McCown's Division.

JANUARY 10, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the regiment under my command in the battle before Murfreesborough on December 31, 1862:

In obedience to the order received from the brigadier-general commanding, the regiment moved up 150 yards from the rear, where it had bivouacked for the night, and took its position on the right of the brigade, then in line. A few minutes before 6 a.m. we were ordered forward, and moved on a line parallel with the road leading by Cowan's house. About 6 o'clock our pickets became engaged, and soon after the firing opened along the whole line of the regiment. On account of a field fence my two right companies were formed in the rear, and at this point we were severely enfiladed by the enemy's sharpshooters, some 200 [yards] distant on our right. The order to charge was then given, and with impetuosity our men scaled the fence on our front, driving the enemy before until we reached his encampment, which gave ample evidence of his want of preparation for a fight. Encamped as he was in a thick cedar brake, it would seem our progress must be impeded; but nothing could withstand the fury of the onset. The enemy's lines were broken, and the rout, so far as my observation reached, became genera.

Turning to the right in the direction of the pursued, we moved constantly at a double-quick over field and brake, the dead and dying of the enemy but too plainly marking the track of the fleeing Abolitionists. It was at this point that young Clark D. Jenkins, a private of Company D, shot down a general officer, who was endeavoring to rally his scattered columns, supposed to be

Major-General Sill, as his body was found soon afterward in a hospital near by. We had now driven the enemy about 1 1/4 miles, when, finding a line of Federal infantry endeavoring to again our rear, we halted and formed our line with the intention of cutting through his ranks to our main army, but the opportune arrival of Liddell's brigade on our right relieved us. After a few moments' delay I was ordered to move forward, my right resting on the left of Liddell's brigade. We continued to move to the front, when Liddell becoming warmly engaged with a heavy force, who had concealed themselves behind a fence, I was ordered to file right, move by the flank some 150 paces, then by the left flank and then received the order to charge. Forward rushed our gallant men, with the wild yell of an infuriated soldiery, and for a few second the result seemed doubtful. The enemy, almost securely posted, stubbornly held their ground, and it seemed as if once during the war our lines wound clash in close combat. But again the intrepidity of our troops prevailed, and when distant only 50 or 75 yards, his lines gave way, and were soon thrown into utter confusion and terribly cut to pieces by our fire as they retreated