Numbers 2. Report of Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Ohio, of operations March 25-August 10, 1863.

NEW YORK, November 13, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Department of the Ohio during the time I was in command:On the 16th of March, 1863, I received orders to proceed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and relieve Major General H. G. Wright, then in command of the department. I reached Cincinnati on the 23rd of March, and assumed command of the 25th.

The limits of the department embraced the States of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Kentucky, except that part west of the Tennessee River, and all of East Tennessee that we might at any time occupy. The line occupied by the forces at that time commenced at the mouth of the Big Sandy River, ran up to Louisa Court-House, across to Irvine, ont he Kentucky River, down to Somerset, near the Cumberland River, along and near to the Cumberland River, and the State line to Franklin; thence to Hopkinsville and the Cumberland River, and down to the mouth of the river. The troops were necessarily in small force at any one point on the line, as there were only about ----* effective troops int he department, out of which guards had to be taken for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (which supplied General Rosecrans' army) and the other railroads in the State of Kentucky. The line occupied by the troops from point to point, to meet the frequent attacks of the enemy's cavalry, and of guerrillas.

At the time I assumed command (the 25th of March), General Pegram, with a formidable cavalry force, had marched from East Tennessee, across the Cumberland River, driving our forces across the Kentucky River at Hickman's Bridge, and taken possession of Danville, Camp Dick Robinson, and that vicinity.

The State of Kentucky was at this time divided into three military districts. The Western, under command of Brigadier General J. T. Boyle, with headquarters at Louisville; the Central, under Brigadier General q. A. Gillmore, with headquarters at Lexington, and the Eastern, under Brigadier General Julius White, with headquarters at Louisa.

On the 26th instant, I directed Generals gillmore and Boyle to concentrate all their available forces at Hickman's Bridge and Lebanon, respectively, and to make a simultaneous attack upon Pegram's forces, which were then at and in the neighborhood of Danville. General Gillmore crossed the Kentucky River; the latter burned the bridges over the river to prevent pursuit. The same day a portion of General Boyle's forces, under Brigadier General M. D. Manson, occupied Danville, and moved down through Hustonville to co-operate with General Gillmore int he pursuit of Pegram, who was retreating to the Cumberland River.

On the 29th, he made a stand at Somerset, having selected a very strong position, which was well defended by six pieces of his artillery. General Gillmore formed his troops, stormed the position at once, and drove the enemy in confusion to the river with a loss to him of over 300, and to our people of only 30. Night stopped farther pursuit, and the enemy escaped across the river. His command, on entering the State, consisted of about 2,600 men, and his total loss before recrossing the river

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*Blank in the original.

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