line and about nine or ten miles by air line. Communications of forty words in cipher code have been sent over the line and answer returned in thirty or forty minutes. Besides these, we have temporary and observation stations on the field and during engagements.

The officers of the corps and the enlisted men have been faithful and attentive to their duties.

Our casualties, &c., are 5 men sick and hospital, Sergeant Blood wounded, Private Marshall, died.

I am unable to make report of messages sent and received during the month, as I have not yet received the report of the officers. They will number over 200. The labors and fatigues have fallen heavy on myself, as the number of officers in my detachment was too small to permit any of them to be detached to take charge of quartermaster, ordnance, or signal departments, and consequently I had to perform all the labor as well as to open and attend to signal stations. I have more assistance now, as three of the officers, instructed by Lieutenant Barrett, have been ordered into the field and are reported as excellent officers.

The commanding general of Department of the Ohio appreciates the services of the corps and make all proper allowances for the natural difficulties with which we have been surrounded.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. G. McCREARY,

Captain and Chief Signal Officer, Dept. of the Ohio.

Captain HENRY S. TAFFT,

Signal Officer, Washington, D. C.

Numbers 299.

Report of Brigadier General Alvin P. Hovey, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, of operations May 3 - June 9.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, June 9, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to herewith transmit a brief report of the operations of the First Division of the Twenty-third Army Corps from the 5th day of April, 1864, to the present date:

The division is composed of the following regiments and batteries, to wit: One hundred and twentieth, One hundred and twenty-fourth, and One hundred and twenty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, constituting the First Brigade, under the command of Colonel Richard F. Barter, and the One hundred and twenty-third, One hundred and twenty-ninth, and One hundred and thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, constituting the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel John C. McQuiston. The Twenty-third Indiana Battery, commanded by First Lieutenant Houghton, and Twenty-fourth Indiana Battery, commanded by Captain Hardy, were added to the division.

The division marched from Nashville, Tenn., on the 5th day of April, 1864, under orders to report to Major-General Schofield at Knoxville, Tenn. After nineteen days' consecutive marching we reached Charleston, Tenn., by a route exceeding 280 miles. Here we remained nine days, and on the 3rd day of May, 1864, marched under orders for Cleveland, Tenn. From Cleveland, on the succeeding day, we marched for Red Clay, where we arrived, after re-