Numbers 29. Report of Colonel William W. Caldwell, Eighty-first Indiana Infantry.

HDQRS. EIGHTY-FIRST REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS,
Winchester, Tenn., July 6, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report the operations of my regiment since we left Murfreesborough, as follows:

We left Murfreesborough of the 24th of June, moving southward on the Shelbyville pike 6 miles, and then turned eastward leaving the pike. A heavy rain falling all day made the roads very muddy, and rendered the march very fatiguing. We arrived at or near Liberty Gap, when my regiment was ordered out on picket duty. No signs of an enemy.

On the 25th, we moved forward through Liberty Gap, and about 10 o'clock halted and bivouacked on the ground that had but a short time previous been the camp of the Fifteenth Arkansas (rebel regiment). A heavy rain was still falling, and roads very muddy. About 1 p.m. an engagement commenced in our front, and about 2.30 p.m. we were ordered forward. My regiment, by direction of General Carlin, moved over the hill in line of battle, and took position in rear of a battery than engaging the enemy, where we remained until the firing in our front ceased, when I was ordered forward to take position for the night. We bivouacked on the side of a hill west of the

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road, and threw out pickets, connecting on my right with the pickets of the Twenty-first Illinois and on the left with those of the Thirty-eighth Illinois, the picket line of the enemy being only about 600 yards in my front. Nothing of interest occurred during the night.

At daylight of the 26th, caused two companies to be deployed as skirmishers, and advanced to a fence some 300 yards in my front, when a brisk skirmish ensued, with what effect upon the enemy I am not able to say. My men being well convered, no casualties occurred.

In the evening my regiment was moved, by direction of General Carlin, to the east side of the

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road, on the hill, and posted behind the Thirty-eighth Illinois, the Twenty-first Illinois on my right, where I remained until 10 o'clock at night, when, by direction of General Carlin, I withdrew to the valley, some 800 yards to the rear.

On the morning of the 27th, no enemy appearing in our front, we took up the line of march for Hoover's Gap, and camped at dark near a small creek. It still continued to rain, in consequence of which the roads were exceedingly heavy, the march tiresome, and the men much exposed.

On the 28th, started for Manchester, which place we reached about 11 p.m., and bivouacked for the night on the banks of Duck River. Here we remained for several days, and I left 7 of my men, who were too sick to continue the march.

On the 1st of July, we left Manchester for Tullahoma, which place we reached about 10 p.m. It rained nearly all night.

On the 2nd of July, started for Winchester, and reached Elk River about 5.30 p.m., and bivouacked on its banks.

On the 3rd, we resumed the march, fording the river, which was waist deep, and, marching through a very heavy rain, arrived at Winchester about midday, and bivouacked in an open field west of the town.

No casualties during the entire march, both officers and men, on the

31 R R-VOL XXIII, PT I