as reserve, I drove the enemy over a mile, through their camp, whose equipments I had destroyed, and then, by order, fell back to the Fairfield road, and brought up the rear of the division, which by that time had safely passed Fairfield Bridge.

My loss during this engagement was 3 men wounded. Enemy's loss not known.

Passed through Manchester ont he 28th, and camped near that place. On the 29th, we marched to a place about 7 miles north to Tullahoma, where we staid in camp until July 1, 2 p.m., when we took up the march to Tullahoma, arriving there in the evening and occupying south of the town.

On the 2nd of July, we marched about 8 miles on the Winchester road to Elk River, which being impassable there, we forded the water at a place about 4 miles distant. I learned that an apparently occupied fort was within a distance of about 2 miles from our camp, built for the protection of the Allisona railroad bridge, and forthwith charged with my sharpshooters on the same, holding the Seventy-third Illinois as reserve. We found the fort, however, evacuated.

On the 3rd, we rapidly advanced on Winchester, fording Boiling Fork of Elk River twice; passed through the town, and camped in the evening 7 miles southeast from the same, near Cowan's Station, of the Chattanooga Railroad, which camp we occupy at the present time.

During the march the roads were heavy, the rains almost incessant, but the spirits of the men for all that excellent, and their eagerness to meet the foe unabated.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. LAIBOLDT,

Colonel, Commanding Second Brigadier, Third Div., Twentieth Army Corps.

Captain GEORGE LEE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Third Division, Twentieth Army Corps.

No. 53. Report of Colonel Luther P. Bradley, Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, THIRD DIV., TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
July 6, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Third Brigade, under my command, since the division left Murfreesborough:

The brigade left camp at 6 a.m., on the 24th of June, and marched on the Shelbyville pike, having the advance of the division. Five companies of the Thirty-ninth Indiana Mounted Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel Jones, reported to me, and were sent in advance of the brigade. My orders from Major-General Sheridan were to proceed as far as the cross-road leading to Christiana, post the brigade so as to protect the road, and await orders. The cavalry commenced skirmishing with the enemy soon after crossing the Knob, 3 miles from Murfreesborough, and drove them back beyond the cross-road. I advanced the brigade through the timber, and took position on the east side of

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*Nominal list of casualties during engagement on Wartrace road, omitted, shows 3 men wounded.

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