[CHAP. XXXV.

tucky, and Tennessee. I desire to express my thanks to Captain Beverly D. Williams, of the commanding general's staff, and to Lieutenant [Walter E.] Carlin, of General Carlin's staff, for their services (volunteered) as aides-de-camp during the engagement at Liberty Gap. Their conduct was gallant and their services highly appreciated. The conduct of my staff officers was universally commendable throughout the campaign.

The official reports of the brigade commanders are herewith respectfully transmitted.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JEF. C. DAVIS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Colonel G. P. THRUSTON,

Chief of Staff, Twentieth Army Corps.

Numbers 23. Report of Colonel P. Sidney Post, Fifty-ninth Illinois Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FIRST DIV., TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
Winchester, July 5, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with the order of Brigadier-General Davis, commanding First Division, on the 24th day of June, 1863, this brigade (then doing outpost duty on the Shelbyville pike, 5 miles south of Murfreesborough) marched through a drenching rain, and bivouacked for the night 2 miles beyond Millersburg. On the morning of the 25th, we marched forward to the support of Brigadier-General Johnson's division, holding the passes of Liberty Gap. About 4 p.m. the enemy made an attack in force. Throwing out a line of skirmishers, and deploying the Twenty-second Indiana Regiment, Colonel Gooding commanding; the Fifty-ninth Illinois Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Winters, and the Seventy-fifth Illinois Infantry Regiment, Colonel Bennett commanding, I moved forward on the right of General Carlin's brigade, holding the Seventy-fourth Illinois Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Kerr, in reserve.

By direction of Brigadier-General Davis, we occupied the hills on the right and rear of Brigadier-General Carlin's brigade during the night, and early in the morning received orders from Brigadier-General Davis in person to immediately move to the position held by Brigadier-General Carlin's brigade, General Carlin having been instructed at the same time to make a demonstration against the enemy farther to the left. Leaving the Seventy-fifth Illinois Infantry Regiment to hold the hill on the right, I executed the order, and threw forward skirmishers from the Twenty-second Indiana Regiment and Fifty-ninth and Seventy-fourth Illinois Infantry Regiments, who became immediately engaged. The enemy held a strong position in our front, having two batteries of artillery commanding the open fields before us.

A lively skirmish was continued throughout the day, with but slight loss to this brigade, and at 9 p.m. the enemy were discovered removing their artillery and evacuating their position, which fact I immediately reported to General Davis. The resolute enthusiasm of the men throughout these skirmishes gave high promise of heroic conduct in the battle expected soon to be fought.