the orders received, and crossed the Tennessee River to Chattanooga, where we arrived at dusk, and went into bivouac about 11⁄2 miles from town, in a southeasterly direction.

Monday, November 23, during the morning, I received orders to occupy with my division, drawn up in close column, the ground north of Fort Palmer. The Third Division took a position in the same formation upon my left. At half past 3 o'clock I was ordered to advance with the division to Citico Creek. I directed two regiments of each brigade to form line of battle and to throw skirmishers out. The remaining five regiments formed the second line, in closed columns. In this formation I advanced. As soon as the skirmishers reached the margin of the woods in our front they met the enemy, drove him beyond Citico Creek, and halted. After sunset I ordered the division to go into bivouac, leaving a picket line along the creek. The resistance of the enemy was but slight, and we lost on this day 3 killed and some 20 wounded.

Tuesday, November 24, according to orders of the general commanding, I directed early in the morning three regiments of the First Brigade, under Colonel Buschbeck, to cross Citico Creek and to march along the Tennessee River, to effect a junction with General Sherman's corps. The Second Brigade remained on Citico Creek. Colonel Buschbeck joined General Sherman during the morning, and was ordered to march to Missionary Ridge. Having arrived near the foot of this elevation, he went into bivouac, his right resting on Sanderson's farm, and threw up earth-works.

Wednesday, November 25, at about daylight the Second Brigade also crossed Citico Creek, and marched along the river toward General Sherman's corps. Colonel Smith, upon his arrival there, took up a position between the northern termination of Missionary Ridge and Chickamauga Creek, fronting east, and immediately threw up riflepits.

The Third Division occupied the ridge on the right of Colonel Smith's brigade. Colonel Buschbeck was ordered at 10 a. m. to advance and to support the right wing of General Ewing's division. He deployed the Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Lieutenant-Colonel Taft, as skirmishers. They charged the enemy, and drove him from a barn and some outhouses. The Twentyseventh Pennsylvania Regiment, Major McAloon, advanced in support of the Seventy-third, and charged across an open field the enemy's earth-works, near the summit of Missionary Ridge.

The regiment lost many men by the enemy's grape and canister, but at last succeeded in silencing the artillery by their well-directed and steady fire. The engagement lasted over two hours, when the men had expended all their ammunition, and even used that of their killed and wounded comrades. They were then forced to fall back to the position occupied during the night. The Seventy-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers in the meantime held their position until their ammunition was also exhausted, when they fell back. The Thirty-third Regiment New Jersey, Colonel Mindil, during this time supported as a reserve the brigade of Colonel Loomis. The Twenty-seventh and Seventy-third Regiments Volunteers lost very severely during this action. Both their commanders fell-the one, Lieutenant-Colonel Taft, killed. The other, Major McAloon, mortally wounded; he has since expired.

Thursday, November 26, at 4 a. m., the division broke camp and crossed Chickamauga Creek on the pontoon bridge near its mouth,

where Colonel Buschbeck rejoined the corps. The enemy had withdrawn during the night, and we marched in pursuit, following the division of General Davis, who had the advance. I annex a list of

killed and wounded.*

The officers and men conducted themselves with their accustomed steadiness and bravery.

Lieut. Col. T. A. MEYSENBURG,

A. VON STEINWEHR,

Brigadier-General.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 94.

Report of Col. Adolphus Buschbeck, Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, ELEVENTH CORPS,

Athens, Tenn., December 11, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of three regiments of the First Brigade, Second Division (Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers), since leaving Chattanooga and previous to rejoining the corps:

On Tuesday morning, November 24, I left my position and crossed Citico Creek and effected a junction with the troops under MajorGeneral Sherman, after which I moved to the foot of Mission Ridge and bivouacked for the night near Sanderson's farm, and threw up temporary breastworks.

On the morning of the 25th, about 10 a. m., I advanced in support of the right wing of General Ewing's division and took position in some woods just on the edge of an open plain. The Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Taft, was deployed as skirmishers, and ordered to drive the enemy's skirmishers, who had possession of some barns and outhouses. The regiment charged on the double-quick, driving the enemy and taking the barns and outhouses. The Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers was then advanced to support the Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers; both of these movements were executed under a sharp fire of musketry and shell. At about 1 p. m. Maj. P. A. McAloon advanced with the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers in line of battle, and charged across the open field and up the ridge under a heavy fire of musketry and canister, and opened fire upon the enemy, who was in strong force and well intrenched just beyond the summit of the hill.

In the charge up the ridge Company B, Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, under command of Lieut. S. D. Miller, joined the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. Under the constant and well-directed fire of this regiment the enemy's artillery was silenced. The regiment was re-enforced by the Tenth Ohio and Eighty-third Illinois Volunteers. †

The regiment, after being under fire for more than two hours, their ammunition being expended, the men having even taken the am* Embodied in revised statement, p. 82.

Error in original. The re-enforcing regiments were the Tenth Iowa and Ninety, third Illinois, See p. 652.

munition from the cartridge-boxes of their killed and wounded comrades, fell back to the position occupied by them the night previous. During all this time the Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers held their position until their ammunition was expended. Finally they were outflanked, and many of them taken prisoners.

The Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers, under command of Col. G. W. Mindil, was ordered to support a brigade of Indiana and Illinois troops, under command of Colonel Loomis, and were held in reserve most of the time, being exposed to a heavy shell fire.

Between 3 and 4 p. m. this regiment was ordered to return to the position occupied the previous night. The next morning I joined the corps.

I particularly desire to call attention to the gallant conduct of Maj. P. A. McAloon, who fearlessly led his command across the field and up the ridge, and although wounded three times, refused to be carried from the field.

It grieves me to report the death of the brave Lieutenant-Colonel Taft, who fell just after he had driven the enemy from his position. All the officers and men deserve commendation for their good conduct and bravery.

In this engagement the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers lost 3 officers, severely wounded; 3 officers, slightly wounded; 11. enlisted men killed, 26 severely wounded; 32 slightly wounded, and 13 missing.

The Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers lost 1 officer and 25 men killed, 4 officers and 70 men wounded, and 8 officers and 60 men captured.

The Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers lost 7 enlisted men wounded.

Respectfully,

A. BUSCHBECK,

Colonel, Comdg. First Brig., Second Div., 11th Army Corps. Lieut. Col. T. A. MEYSENBURG,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 95.

Report of Col. George W. Mindil, Thirty-third New Jersey Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTY-THIRD NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION, ELEVENTH CORPS, Lookout Valley, Tenn., December 18, 1863. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of the Thirty-third Regiment New Jersey Volunteers from the time of its departure from camp in Lookout Valley at 3 p. m. on the 22d of November last :

In connection with the rest of the Eleventh Corps the regiment moved on the afternoon of that day in heavy marching order, crossed the Tennessee at Brown's Ferry, and bivouacked for the night on the plain beyond Chattanooga, about 200 yards to the right of Fort Wood,

On the afternoon of the following day (23d), skirmishing was commenced between the armies in our front, and at about 3 p. m. the corps proceeded to move toward the position assigned it, the First Brigade, Second Division, of which my command forms part, being arranged in two lines, the outer consisting of the One hundred and thirty-fourth New York on the right and the Thirty-third New Jersey on the left in deployed order, with skirmishers about 150 paces in advance; the second comprising the Seventy-third and Twentyseventh Pennsylvania and One hundred and fifty-fourth New York in columns en masse at supporting distance. These dispositions were made in an open field about 500 yards from Fort Wood, fronting Citico Creek, with the left flank protected by a railroad embankment. The order to forward was given, and the regiment proceeded to advance. Hardly had the line of skirmishers gained 10 paces ere it was fired upon from the woods skirting the creek, from behind the railroad bridge and from under cover of several buildings. The enemy being well protected at short range and in considerable force, fired very destructively, and Captain Boggs, of Company A, fell wounded at the first discharge while gallantly advancing his deployed line. Notwithstanding the severity of the fire the advance was continued, and Captain O'Connor, with his company, was sent to re-enforce the line in front. This additional force compelled the enemy to leave their position on this side, and to retire beyond the Creek. My line of skirmishers had now reached the Creek, and on its bank a very hot and lively contest ensued, the contending parties being but 10 yards apart. Both having availed themselves of the shelter of the trees, but little loss was inflicted.

In the absence of orders, and believing it was the intention to advance until the field was entirely won, I moved forward Company E, Captain Field commanding, and ordered Captain O'Connor to cross the creek at all hazards, his force now amounting to about 160 men, at the same time charging forward with the rest of the regiment under a heavy fire to within 50 yards of the enemy behind the walls of the bridge, so as to give him support. Simultaneously I sent the major to acquaint the brigade commander with our position and for further orders. The order came to merely hold the bridge, but it was not received in time to check the onward progress of our skirmishers, who dashed into the stream regardless of depth, with water to the waist, moving on in spite of the determined resistance offered, thus gaining foothold on the opposite bank. In obedience to instructions received, I ordered Captain O'Connor to hold this side of the creek, and to prevent the enemy from crossing in turn. Night soon ended the firing, and at about 8 p. m. the regiment was relieved by the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, bivouacking for the night about 300 yards in rear.

Accompanying you will find a list* of the names of the killed and wounded. The loss in officers was unusually severe. Captain Wal, dron, Company I, was instantly killed at the head of his companywhile the regiment was charging in line. A soldier by profession, and a veteran of former fights, he yielded his life in defense of the flag he had sworn to support. I sympathize with Captain Boggs, Lieutenant Toffey, and the rest of the wounded. It is consoling to know they were injured in a righteous cause with face to the foe. As for the officers and men, all performed their duty unflinchingly,

*Embodied in revised statement, p. 82.

and where all act well it is impossible to discriminate. For a regiment but of three months' creation, without much drill and discipline, the Thirty-third did remarkably well. I feel confident that the regiment can now be relied upon for any emergency, as the men will perform their whole duty.

I would bear testimony to the efficiency and gallantry of the staff. Lieutenant Lambert, adjutant, for promptness displayed in conveying my orders to the most exposed positions, to Chaplain John Faull my thanks as well as those of the command are due for the fearlessness manifested in relieving the wounded, by personally removing them, with the aid of the drum corps, to the surgeon in rear. Dr. Stiger remained with the regiment, at all times performing his operations under the fire of the enemy.

On the following day the regiment moved and connected with Sherman's corps, and a report has already been furnished of the part it sustained in the assault on Tunnel Hill. Following with the rest of the corps the flying enemy to Parker's Gap, and taking a northeast direction thence to Louisville, Tenn., the regiment returned to its camp yesterday afternoon after nearly a month's campaign. Considering the severity of the weather, often exceedingly cold and stormy, the absence of blankets and tents, the miserable condition of the shoes of a large portion of the command, scores being barefooted, and the insufficient and poor rations furnished, the troops have withstood the hardships of this severe but glorious campaign with firm determination and remarkably good cheer.

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

G. W. MINDIL, Colonel, Comdg. Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers. Capt. C. C. BROWN,

A. A. A. G., Hdqrs. 1st Brig., 2d Div., 11th Corps.

No. 96.

Report of Maj. David A. Peloubet, Thirty-third New Jersey Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTY-THIRD NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS,

Near Athens, Tenn., December 11, 1863. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of this regiment since leaving the vicinity of Chattanooga, and previous to rejoining, with the Twenty-seventh and Seventy-third Regiments, Pennsylvania Volunteers, the corps:

On Tuesday morning, under personal direction of Major-General Howard, the regiment left its bivouac near Chattanooga, crossed the creek on its front, and, with a heavy line of skirmishers upon front and flank, proceeded for some distance up the Tennessee, when the skirmishers from the front were withdrawn, and the regi ment having been joined by the Twenty-seventh and Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, moved up the banks of the river until the command effected a junction with the troops of Major-General Sherman. With the command of General Sherman the regiment marched to the foot of Mission Ridge, where it halted and bivouacked for the night, throwing up breastworks on its line of battle front, the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania on its left and the Seventythird on its right.