Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[206] and at the point where they so manfully went to relieve the pressure in other parts of our assaulting line they exposed themselves unconsciously to an enemy vastly superior in force, and favored by the shape of the ground. Had that enemy come out on equal terms, these brigades would have shown their mettle, which has been tried more than once before, and stood the test of fire. They re-formed their ranks, and were ready to support General Ewing's division in a very few minutes, and the circumstance would have hardly called for a notice on my part, had riot others reported for my wing of the army at a distance of nearly five miles, from which could only be seen the troops in the open field when this affair occurred.

I now subjoin the best report of casualties I am able to compile from the records thus far received:

Fifteenth army corps.

	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.	Total.
First Division,	87	364	66	497
Second Division,	10	90	2	102
Third Division,	89	288	122	499
Fourth Division,	72	535	21	628
Total loss in Fifteenth Army Corps,				1726

Eleventh army corps.

	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.	Total.
Burkbank Brigade,	37	145	81	263

General Jeff C. Davis has sent in no report of casualties in his division, but his loss was small.

Among the killed were some of our most valuable officers — Colonels Putnam of the Ninety-third Illinois, O'Meara of the Ninetieth Illinois, Torrence of the Thirtieth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Taft of the Eleventh corps, and Major Bushnell of the Thirteenth Illinois volunteers.

Among the wounded are Generals Giles A. Smith, J. M. Corse, and Matthews; Colonel Baum; Colonel Wangeline, Twelfth Missouri volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Patridge, Thirteenth Illinois volunteers; Major P. J. Welch, Fifty-sixth Illinois volunteers; and Major M. Allen, Tenth Iowa volunteers.

Among the missing is Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, Seventeenth Iowa.

My report is already so long, that I must for-bear mentioning acts of individual merit. These will be recorded in the reports of division commanders, which I will cheerfully indorse, but I must say that it is but justice that colonels of regiments who have so long and so well commanded brigades as in the following cases should be commissioned to the grade which they have filled with so much usefulness and credit to the public service, namely:

Colonels J. R. Cockerell, Seventieth Ohio volunteers; J. M. Loomis, Twenty-sixth Illinois; C. E. Wolcott, Forty-sixth Ohio; J. A. Williamson, Fourth Iowa; G. B. Baum, Fifty-sixth Illinois; J. J. Alexander, Fifty-ninth Indiana.

My personal staff, as usual, have served their country with fidelity and credit to themselves throughout these events, and have received my personal thanks.

Inclosed you will please find a map of that part of the battle-field of Chattanooga, fought over by the troops under my command, surveyed and drawn by Captain Jenny, of my staff. I have the honor to be,

General: The following operations of the army of the Cumberland, since October thirty-first, are respectfully submitted to the General-in-Chief:

As soon as communications with Bridgeport had been made secure, and the question of supplying the army at this point rendered certain, preparations were at once commenced for driving the enemy from his position in our immediate front — on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge — and if possible to send a force to the relief of Knoxville. To enable me to dislodge the enemy from the threatening position he had assumed in our front, guns of a heavier calibre than those with the army were needed; also additional means for crossing the Tennessee River. Brigadier-General Brannan, Chief of Artillery, was directed to send for the necessary number of guns and ammunition, and, after consulting with Brigadier-General W. F. Smith, Chief-Engineer, to prepare the batteries for the guns on their arrival. While awaiting the arrival of the guns and ammunition, work was prosecuted on the fortifications around the town. In addition to his duties of superintending the work on the fortifications, General Smith pushed vigorously the construction of two pontoon-bridges, to be used in the execution of the movements which were determined upon as necessary to a successful dislodgment of the enemy.

Guerrillas having become somewhat troublesome to the north-east of McMinnville and east of the Caney Fork of the Cumberland, Brigadier-General Elliott, Chief of Cavalry, was ordered, November fourteenth, to establish his headquarters, with the First division of cavalry, at or near Alexandria, and employ the division in hunting and exterminating these marauders. Elliott reached Alexandria on the eighteenth, and on the twenty-seventh reports that his scouts met those of Burnside on Hint Ridge, cast of Sparta, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow, with detachments from the First East-Tennessee and Ninth Pennsylvania cavalry, attacked the rebel Colonel Murray on the twenty-sixth at Sparta, killing one, wounding two, and capturing ten of the enemy, including a lieutenant of Champ Ferguson's; he also captured a few horses and ammunition, and destroyed extensive salt-works used by the rebels. A company of scouts under Captain Brixir also encountered a party of guerrillas near Beersheba Springs, captured fifteen or twenty and dispersed the rest. Brigadier-General R. S. Granger reports from Nashville, November second, that “a mixed command, under Lieutenant-Colonel Scully, First Middle Tennessee ”