menced. While part of the men tore up the rails, others piled crossties in square tiers, on which the rails were laid, so as to have a center bearing. Fire being communicated, it was found that the rails bent readily, even before the pile was consumed, thus rendering the destruction complete and final, In this manner nearly 2 miles were destroyed. In addition to this a large water station, the station house, and two box cars were consumed by fire. Having rendered the railroad useless and incapable of repair for some time to come, the expedition returned to Parker's Gap without molestation, arriving shortly after midnight.

Saturday, November 28, was spent without change other than a movement to a new camping ground about 1 mile nearer to Graysville.

Sunday, November 29, the brigade set out, in connection with the other troops of the corps, on the march toward Knoxville. Cleveland, Tenn., was the halting place for the night. The night was very cold and the men without blankets or shelter tents. With plenty of fuel and some straw, they were, however, able to render themselves comparatively comfortable.

Monday, November 30, the march was resumed, this brigade leading, the Fifty-fifth Ohio being the extreme advance. The enemy's scouts having now shown themselves, and it having been reported that Charleston was occupied by some considerable force, it was deemed prudent to advance with some caution. In addition to the customary advance guard, skirmishers were thrown out right and left. In this manner the town was entered before noon, the men moving at double-quick; but though we passed their picket fires still burning, on our way into town, it was found that they had all retired across the Hiwassee, destroying as they left a rude pontoon bridge and two short spans of the railroad bridge. By direction of General Howard, I immediately threw two companies of the Fiftyfifth Ohio across the river in such rough boats as could be collected, the object being to secure some cars which were on the track near the village of Calhoun. The cars, 5 in number, loaded with flour, meal, salt, ammunition, bridge tools, &c., were secured, and afforded a timely issue of rations to at least two brigades of the corps. During the afternoon the remainder of the Fifty-fifth Ohio and the whole of the Thirty-third Massachusetts were crossed in boats. Meanwhile, repairs were progressing on the railroad bridge, which was ready by midnight for the passage of troops, wagons, and artillery. The other two regiments remained in Charleston till a. m. on Tuesday, December 1, when the crossing commenced; thence the march continued, without noteworthy event to this brigade, as follows:

December 1, to Athens, Tenn.

Wednesday, December 2, through Philadelphia near to Loudon. Thursday, December 3, to and through Loudon to a point about 1 mile easterly on the Tennessee River.

Friday, December 4, remained in camp at Loudon.

Saturday, December 5, marched at I a. m. to Davis' Ford, on the Little Tennessee, where we crossed the river on a bridge of wagons and proceeded to Louisville, Tenn., some 14 miles south of Knoxville. Remained here until Monday, December 7, when, the object of the movement having been accomplished, the return march was commenced and continued with a tarry of three nights and two days at Athens, and a similar tarry at Cleveland until Thursday,

December 17, 1863, when the command returned to its old camp in Lookout Valley, passing by the foot of Lookout Mountain.

A roll-call held on arrival in camp showed all present except those reported in the list of casualties, a result which I regard as highly commendable, when it is considered that many men were entirely shoeless. Marching as we did without shelter of any kind, except a few gum blankets, all knapsacks, blankets, and shelter tents having been left behind at Chattanooga, subsisting for a major part of the time upon the country, from which only flour, meal, and meat were derived, a large portion of the time without sugar or coffee, it is to be supposed that our movements were attended with some privation and suffering. Nevertheless, I cannot forbear remarking in behalf of the men under my command that every labor, every privation, every suffering was borne with a patience and cheerfulness worthy of patriots, who are above all mercenary considerations. I must claim for them an abstinence from straggling or marauding worthy of commendation under the circumstances. During the entire movement, from the 22d November to the 17th December, I noticed no officer who faltered in the performance of his duty.

It affords me pleasure to mention favorably the names of the respective regimental commanders in the brigade. Col. James Wood, jr., One hundred and thirty-sixth New York, who, though unsupported by any other field officer, carried his regiment through the whole campaign in fine order. Col. C. B. Gambee, Fifty-fifth Ohio; Lieut. Col. Godfrey Rider, jr., Thirty-third Massachusetts, and Maj. S. H. Hurst, commanding Seventy-third Ohio. I desire also to make especial mention of Capt. Thomas W. Higgins, senior captain of the Seventy-third Ohio, who on this occasion, as on many previous, displayed great energy, perseverance, and gallantry. The captain has acted as major for some time past with marked success, and I think the rank of major, by brevet, would be judiciously bestowed upon him.

The members of my staff on this occasion, as heretofore, won my favorable commendation by their diligent attention to their respective duties and by their efficient co-operation.

By the illness of Capt. B. F. Stone, acting assistant adjutant-general, I was to some extent deprived of his valuable services while on the march; nevertheless, by fortitude and perseverance, he continued, under great suffering, with the brigade during the entire march, and attended to his duties in camp every night, though repeatedly urged to go to the rear. Capt. J. V. Patton, acting commissary of subsistence, by his foresight and activity, succeeded in supplying the brigade in a regular manner, thus leaving no apology for individual foraging. I think the interest of the service would be promoted by his appointment by the Government as commissary of subsistence of volunteers. Capt. John D. Madeira, in the double capacity of acting assistant inspector-general and aide-de-camp, as well as Lieut. George A. Morse, provost-marshal, displayed great energy, activity, and daring, whereby they contributed much to the discipline and efficiency of the brigade.

On the march, finding it necessary to draw upon the country for forage, I detailed Lieut. E. M. Cheney, Thirty-third Massachusetts Volunteers, to act as brigade quartermaster, and through him regular vouchers were given for hay and grain taken, and the forage was by him formally issued to the regiments. Though the duty was new to him, by industry and attention he succeeded in furnishing supplies without resorting to foraging by irresponsible parties.

The official reports of the several regimental commanders and the consolidated list of casualties* are herewith transmitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ORLAND SMITH,

Colonel Seventy-third Ohio Vols., Comdg. Second Brigade. Lieut. R. E. BEECHER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.·

No. 102.

Report of Lieut. Col. Godfrey Rider, jr., Thirty-third Massachusetts Infantry, including march to the relief of Knoxville.

HDQRS. THIRTY-THIRD REGT. MASSACHUSETTS VOLS.,

Lookout Valley, December 19, 1863.

SIR: I herewith report to you the doings of this regiment from November 22 to December 17 instant.

November 22, left camp and marched to Chattanooga, and encamped for the night.

November 23, at noon, formed in column and marched in line of battle to the enemy, threw out our pickets, made rifle-pits, and held the position in front of the enemy.

November 25, advanced in front to the railroad, made strong breast works, and skirmished some with the enemy. At or near noon marched down to the left of the line of battle to join General Sherman; formed line of battle, left wing on the railroad and the right wing perpendicular to it, joining the One hundred and thirty-sixth New York; threw up strong breastworks, and posted pickets in front of our lines.

November 26, took up our line of march and proceeded beyond Chickamauga and halted for the night, having formed numerous lines of battle during the day.

November 27, marched in column, with flankers on our right, to Red Clay Station, where we formed in line of battle between the Fifty-fifth Ohio on our left and One hundred and thirty-sixth New York on our right; threw out pickets on our flanks and beyond the right of the brigade; tore up several hundred yards of the railroad, and destroyed the sleepers and rails by large fires. Hence we marched back some 6 miles, more or less, and halted for the night. November 29, took up our line of march and reached Cleveland at dark.

November 30, marched to Charleston.

December 1, marched to Athens.

December 2, marched through Sweet Water to Philadelphia.
December 3, marched to Loudon.

December 5, marched to Louisville.

December 7, left Louisville for Chattanooga, and arrived in our old camp December 17, near dark; our men badly off for shoes, clothing, blankets, and tent-flies.

Killed, none; wounded slightly, 4; missing, 3.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.

GODFREY RIDER, JR.,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Thirty-third Massachusetts.

Capt. B. F. STONE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

* Embodied in revised statement, p. 82.

No. 103.

Report of Col. James Wood, jr., One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Infantry, including march to the relief of Knoxville.

HDQRS. 136TH REGIMENT NEW YORK VOL. INFANTRY,
Lookout Valley, December 19, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the regiment under my command since and including the 22d day of November ultimo, up to the 19th day of December instant, when the regiment returned to its present camp:

On the 22d day of November last, pursuant to orders, the regiment marched with the brigade to Chattanooga. We left camp at 1 p. m. of that day, and arrived at Chattanooga soon after sundown and bivouacked on the outskirts of the city. The regimental baggage, including all the personal effects of the officers except such as they wore on their persons, were left behind in charge of the regimental quartermaster. The only thing noticeable in connection with this march and bivouac was the great scarcity of wood in and around Chattanooga outside of the enemy's line. So great was this scarcity that it was with the utmost difficulty a sufficient quantity could be obtained to enable the men to boil their coffee. The regiment occupied the ground on which it bivouacked until the afternoon of the 23d ultimo.

At about 1 o'clock of the 23d of November, I received orders to march in column by division toward the enemy's line at the foot of Missionary Ridge. This march was in connection with the brigade, division, and corps of which the regiment forms a part. All knapsacks, blankets, and tents of the men were, by order, left on the ground on which they bivouacked. The Eleventh Corps was moved in front and to the right of Fort Wood, and was understood to be held in reserve to the Fourteenth Army Corps in the attack made by it on the enemy posted at the foot of Missionary Ridge. The attack was_successfully made, and the enemy driven from his position. The Eleventh Corps then marched to the front, to the left of the position it then occupied, and formed in line of battle on the left of the Fourteenth Corps. The Second Brigade was formed in two lines, the One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry on the right, and the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry on the left, deployed in line of battle, forming the first line. In this formation we advanced upon the enemy; his pickets were soon driven in, and a spirited contest very soon commenced between his skirmishers and the skirmishers thrown out from the One hundred and thirty-sixth and Fifty-fifth. The enemy's skirmishers held a strong position in a brick house which was immediately in front of the line of our advance and between our forces and their line of battle. This strong position of the enemy's skirmishers was handsomely and gallantly carried by our skirmishers, and they were driven behind their line of battle, which was protected by a strong line of rifle-pits. This encounter did not in the least retard the advance of our line of battle, and the enemy had given the order to retreat from their rifle-pits, when it was discovered that the line of battle of the Second Brigade was in advance of the Third Division on our right, and the First Brigade of the Second Division on our left; that in fact the troops on our right and left

had come to a halt. Our brigade commander was then compelled, reluctantly, to give the command to halt. We were at this time within the enemy's line of pickets, and had we been supported could easily have driven him from and taken possession of his rifle-pits. Night coming upon us, we were ordered to hold the position we occu pied in halting.

In this skirmish I lost 1 man killed and 2 officers and 8 men wounded, as will more fully appear by the list of casualties hereto annexed.

During the night I caused to be thrown up in our front a line of rifle-pits, connecting with a similar line thrown up by the Twentysixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, of the Third Division, on our right, and by the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry on our left.

On the morning of the 24th, by order of Major-General Howard, I swung round my line of battle to the left, making a left-quarter wheel upon the left of the regiment as a pivot. This threw my regiment in front of the line of rifle-pits which had been thrown up. The Third Division had been thrown forward, which necessitated this movement in order to form a connection with its left. A new line of rifle-pits was immediately thrown up in front of the new position. The regiment occupied the position behind this new line of rifle-pits during the day and night of the 24th. Skirmish firing from sharpshooters was kept up most of the time by the enemy, but without injury to this regiment.

On the morning of the 25th, the Eleventh Corps left the position which it had occupied, and marched by the left flank around the left of Missionary Ridge, and joined the forces under General Sherman, who, it was understood, was to make an attack upon and, if possible, drive the enemy from Missionary Ridge. This regiment took position with the corps on the left of Sherman's forces, and intrenched itself by the erection of rifle-pits, which position it held during the day, while Sherman made his contemplated attack. In the evening of that day it was announced that Missionary Ridge had been carried by the Fourteenth Corps, under Major-General Palmer, and by the forces under command of Major-General Hooker. The regiment received orders to march the next morning at daybreak.

Pursuant to orders, on the 26th November the regiment took up the line of march toward the mouth of Chickamauga Creek, crossed the creek at that place on pontoon bridge, and continued its march toward Chickamauga Station, in pursuit of the retreating enemy. The pursuit was continued during the day, and the regiment bivouacked at night some 2 or 3 miles from Chickamauga Station, on the road toward Ringgold.

The march was continued the next day until we arrived at Graysville. From Graysville the Eleventh Corps left the main_column and marched to Parker's Gap. At this place, the Second Brigade, of the Second Division, and the brigade of the Third Division, under command of Col. O. Smith, was directed to proceed to Red Clay Station, on the Georgia and East Tennessee Railroad, and tear up and destroy the track of that railroad. This regiment formed a part of the expedition. We marched to Red Clay Station, and the Second Brigade, under command of the undersigned, tore up and destroyed about 1 mile of the railroad, fired and burned the depot buildings and appurtenances, and returned to Parker's Gap and bivouacked for the night, having marched a distance during the day of 27 miles.