unteers in the operations against the enemy during the week commencing November 23, 1863:

On Monday, the 23d instant, at 3 p. m., the regiment marched from its encampment in Chattanooga with the other regiments composing the Second Brigade, with two days' rations and 100 rounds of ammunition per man, and was placed in line of battle about half a mile distant from and in front or south of Fort Negley. The regiment remained in position here until noon of Wednesday, the 25th, when with the brigade it marched to the left, taking a position to the east of and about a mile distant from Fort Wood, and facing the enemy's position at the foot of and on the crest of Mission Ridge.

Here the regiment was advanced, with two companies deployed, for the purpose of covering the brigade in its formation and movement toward the enemy's works.

The brigade being formed, a general advance was commenced at 3 p. m., and continued without opposition for a distance of about three-fourths of a mile, when the deployed companies reached the eastern or farther edge of a strip of woods, and came in full view of the enemy's works; the remaining companies being about 150 yards in rear of the deployed line, and the remaining six regiments of the brigade about 300 yards still farther back, and partially concealed from the enemy's view by the woods in front of them. Immediately in front of the deployed line lay an open field, the ground descending for a short distance to a small creek, and beyond it rising gradually for a distance of about a quarter of a mile to the crest of a secondary ridge, running parallel to, and about a quarter of a mile distant from, the foot of Mission Ridge. Along the crest of this secondary ridge was a breast work of logs, occupied as the front line of the enemy's defenses by two regiments or battalions of infantry. Beyond it the ground descended with an easy slope for a distance of 300 or 400 yards to the foot of the main or Mission Ridge, which rises thence, with a slope gradual at first, but increasing in abruptness toward the top, to a height of 500 or 600 feet. Along the crest of Mission Ridge were the main defenses of the enemy, consisting of a breastwork of logs, fully manned with infantry, with artillery posted on the more commanding points, in sections of two guns each, at intervals of from 100 to 200 yards. The artillery, thus placed, swept with direct and cross fire the whole space between the ridges mentioned, and also the open field across which we had to advance upon the first breastwork.

In the valley between the main and the secondary ridges were the enemy's encampments, the huts mostly hidden from our view by the smaller ridge and breastwork in front of them. The space between the two ridges had been covered with woods, but, except the highest and steepest part of the slope of the main ridge where the smaller trees had been felled and entangled as an obstacle, the timber had recently been cut away and used in the construction of huts and breastworks. After remaining in front of this part of the enemy's line for some twenty minutes, I received an order from Colonel Van Derveer, commanding the brigade, to deploy my entire command and advance upon the first line of breastworks, to seize and occupy it if possible; if repulsed to fall back on the brigade.

The men were briefly informed of the desperate service required of them, and instructed to withhold their fire and to move steadily forward until the work was gained; then to defend it to the utmost.

The reserve companies were then deployed, and, with bayonets fixed, the whole line commenced the advance. The enemy opened fire with musketry from the breastwork, and with artillery from the main ridge, as soon as our line emerged from the woods, but in the face of both the men moved silently and steadily on, across the creek and up the slope until within about 100 paces of the breastwork, when, as the pace was quickened, the enemy broke from behind the work, and ran in some confusion down the slope into and beyond their camps, where, taking cover behind the stumps and among the huts, they opened a brisk fire on us again as soon as we gained and occupied the breastwork. Our line, now partially sheltered by the work, returned the fire with such effect as soon to drive the enemy out of the valley and up the slope of the main ridge beyond the range of our rifles. Fourteen prisoners were here captured and sent to the

rear.

Our loss in this attack was severe, though probably much less than would have been suffered by troops advancing upon the work in regular order of battle. About twenty minutes after the capture of the first work, the brigade advanced from the woods, and on arriving at the work halted for a few minutes, when the order was given for a general assault upon the enemy's main defenses on Mission Ridge.

My regiment moved forward with the others of the brigade, assembling on the colors as far as it was possible to do on the way, until, in ascending the steepest part of the slope, where every man had to find or clear his own way through the entanglement, and in the face of a terrible fire of musketry and artillery, the men of the different regiments of the brigade became generally intermingled; and when the brigade finally crowned the enemy's work on the crest of the ridge, the regimental and even the company organizations had become completely merged in a crowd of gallant and enthusiastic men, who swarmed over the breastwork and charged the defenders with such promptness and vigor that the enemy broke and fled, leaving their artillery in battery, and barely getting away a portion of the caissons and limbers. Six 12-pounder Napoleon guns were thus captured by our brigade, two of them by the men of my regiment. Hardly had a lodgment in the works been gained when the enemy's reserves made a furious counter-attack upon our men, yet in confusion. This attack was promptly met by a charge en masse by the crowd, which, after a few minutes of desperate "hand-to-hand fighting, cleared the ridge, leaving the place in our undisputed possession, with some 200 or 300 prisoners. The captured artillery was turned upon the retreating enemy and manned by volunteers from the different regiments, but darkness soon closed over the field and the firing ceased. The regiments were assembled, and, after collecting and caring for the dead and wounded, we bivouacked on the ridge for the night.

During the operations here recounted about 150 men of my regiment, including two entire companies (F and G), were on detached service, leaving but 15 officers and 170 men, 185 in all, present for duty; of these 1 commissioned officer was killed, 3 were wounded, and 4 enlisted men were killed and 31 wounded; total of casualties, 39, or a fraction more than 21 per cent. of the number engaged. Three of the wounded have since died. The ammunition expended averaged 52 rounds per man.

Of 7 non-commissioned officers, in the color guard, all but 1 were

killed or wounded; the color lance was cut off by a fragment of shell, and the field torn out of the colors by another.

On the morning. of the 26th, we drew partial rations for four days, and at noon marched in pursuit of the retiring enemy, a distance of about 8 miles, to the crossing of Chickamauga Creek by the Rossville and Graysville road, where we bivouacked for the night.

On the 27th, at 4 a. m., we marched again, passing through Graysville and arriving at Ringgold about 11 a. m., a distance of about 11 miles. Here an engagement with the rear guard of the enemy was in progress, and we were formed in line of battle in readiness to act as occasion might require. At noon the enemy retired, and at night we bivouacked, remaining in the same position until noon on the 29th, when we marched for Chattanooga, arriving at 6 p. m., a distance of 18 miles.

Of the conduct of the officers and men of the regiment under the hardships and privations of the week's campaign in severe and inclement weather, and with insufficient clothing and scanty rations, and especially of their gallant bearing under fire in the operations of Wednesday, I am incompetent to speak in terms that would do them justice.

The regiment being brought into action deployed as skirmishers, there was better scope for individual acts of heroism or of cowardice than would otherwise have been afforded. While I witnessed many of the former, I am proud to say that none of the latter have come to my knowledge.

A list* of casualties is herewith transmitted.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
J. W. BISHOP.

Lieut. Col., Comdg. Second Regiment Minnesota Vols.

Capt. JOHN R. BEATTY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 170.

Report of Col. Gustave Kammerling, Ninth Ohio Infantry. HDQRS. NINTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, Chattanooga, Tenn., December 1, 1863. CAPTAIN: I have the honor herewith to forward a report about the part taken by my regiment in the battle of Chattanooga, November 25, 1863.

The Ninth Ohio did not take an active part in the fighting before late in the afternoon of the 25th of November. At 3 p. m. on that day it was posted on the left of the second line of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Corps, the brigade being then in battle line in front of and facing the enemy's rifle-pits erected at the foot of and along the west side of the Missionary Ridge. About 4 o'clock I received orders from Colonel Van Derveer to advance, which I did. As soon as the line moved forward it met with a most galling fire from the enemy's batteries posted on the ridge in front and on the left of our position, but notwithstanding this heavy artillery fire which we had to pass through, I succeeded in gaining the ridge with a comparatively very small loss in killed and wounded.

*Embodied in revised statement, p. 85. Total number of officers and men engaged, 185.

On the top of the ridge, which I found already in possession of the troops of the first line of our brigade, I formed my regiment and marched a short distance to the left, where I saw among others the Second Minnesota Volunteers engaged in a desperate fight with the rebels, who were gradually retreating northward toward the next knoll of the ridge. From this moment until dark my regiment participated in the struggle for the possession of the said ridge. For over half an hour a heavy and incessant musketry firing was kept up by both sides, which finally ended with the retreat of the enemy.

During the night and part of the following day the troops bivouacked on the field of battle. About 1 p. m. on the 26th day of November, my regiment was ordered to march off with four days' rations in the haversack and 100 rounds of ammunition per man. We joined in the pursuit of the enemy, and went as far as Ringgold, Ga., from which place we returned to Chattanooga on the evening of the 29th of November, 1863.

My total loss sustained consists in 2 enlisted men killed and 12 enlisted men wounded; none missing. A list* of the men killed and wounde is attached hereto.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. KAMMERLING,

Colonel, Comdg. Ninth Regiment Ohio Vol. Infantry. Capt. JOHN R. BEATTY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Brigade.

No. 171.

Report of Maj. Joseph L. Budd, Thirty-fifth Ohio Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTY-FIFTH OHIO INFANTRY,

Chattanooga, Tenn., November 30, 1863. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, on the night of the 22d instant, in obedience to orders from brigade headquarters, the men of the Thirty-fifth were supplied with two days' rations and 100 rounds of ammunition, and thus supplied moved with the balance of the command about 4 p. m. of the 23d, with an effective force of 12 officers and 209 men, and took position in line of battle, with the left of the regiment resting on the Moore road, near the enemy's picket line, the regiment being posted in the second line.

In this position the regiment bivouacked until Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock, when it was ordered to deploy as skirmishers along our brigade front, preparatory to an advance upon the then retiring enemy. After a short advance it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated the valley in front of us, and an order coming to return to the main line for a march to the left, the regiment again joined the brigade, and marched with it to the mouth of Citico Creek, from which with the command we marched directly toward Missionary Ridge, and took position in the center of the front line, the Eighty-seventh Indiana being on our right and the One hundred and first Indiana on our left, the Second Minnesota covering the entire front as skirmishers. In this position our line faced and was half a

* Omitted.

mile distant from the rebel rifle-pits extending along the base of the slope.

About 4 p. m. the order was given to charge the rifle-pits, and at a given signal the whole line advanced with a tremendous cheer, receiving a terrific fire of spherical case, both from the front and either flank, from the enemy's batteries on the crest above. The Second Minnesota in advance drove the enemy from his works and planted their flag there without assistance from the main line, but this line followed them closely and were soon sheltered somewhat under the captured works from the furious fire of the batteries above.

After resting here about fifteen minutes, the order came to storm the heights. The regiment, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Boynton, started at a double-quick, cheering with hearty good will, and pressed on utterly regardless of the fire of musketry in front, and of case shot from the front and flank. The regiment had not left the rebel line of works 100 yards in the rear when I was informed that Lieutenant-Colonel Boynton had received a severe wound in the thigh. Upon being thus notified, I immediately assumed command of the regiment, and very soon with the larger number of the regiment arrived at the top of the hill. The spur of the ridge charged by the brigade was the next on the left of the one charged by General Turchin's brigade. By the time the regiment arrived at the works on the top the enemy had been driven from the hill on our right and occupied the works on that spur in considerable force. The men of the Thirty-fifth, taking advantage of the shelter afforded by these works, opened a vigorous fire upon the enemy, but very soon rushing over the works, drove the enemy from the position, securing 3 pieces of artillery, 1 caisson with 6 horses attached, 7 prisoners, and 1 battle-flag. The battle-flag was in the hands of one of the men of the regiment, and an officer, representing himself to be on some general's staff, demanded the flag and took it from the soldier. The prisoners I ordered down the hill-side to where there had been quite a number of others collected. The Thirty-fifth was the first to enter the works with its colors.

The regiments having advanced in line of battle, each striving to reach the works first, it was but a very short time before the men from the different regiments became so mixed up (and partly owing to the nature of the ground) it was impossible to maintain anything like an organization. The company officers, however, rallied their companies, and in this manner advanced gradually along the crest of the ridge until we came to the position on the extreme left where the last stand was made.

At this place, under a severe fire from the enemy, we assisted in throwing up some rude log-works. While thus advancing, Lieutenant Mather, Company H, received two wounds, one in the hand and one in the leg. Lieutenant Lambright, Company K, received a very painful wound in the right shoulder.

The fighting ceased about 6 p. m., and the regiment was reformed. During the entire fight the men of the Thirty-fifth were in the front ranks and the officers at their posts, conspicuous in the dis charge of every duty. I beg leave to make special mention of the gallantry and bravery of Corporal Kreiger, our color bearer. From the time we charged the rifle-pits. to the close of the fighting, the colors were in the lead. Sergeant Fisk, Company B, and Sergeant Blair, Company K, deserve credit for the manner in which they commanded their companies during the fight.