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

[222] have been instrumental in accomplishing such magnificent and important results with so little loss, and I can only attribute it to the care of that Providence who spread the mantle of his protection over us; and the bold impetuosity of my brave men that bore down, and gave the enemy no time to rally their broken columns.

To the officers and men of General Geary's war-worn division, the heroes around whose brows cluster the unfading laurels of Gettysburgh, we of the Cumberland extend a soldier's greeting and congratulation; they were our companions in storming Lookout, and the best testimonial we can give them of our appreciation of their bravery and endurance, is that we thought their valor and conduct worthy of our most energetic emulation.

In obedience to orders, I have the honor to report as follows of the operations of my brigade, commencing with moving from camp at Chattanooga, November twenty-third, resulting in the rout of the enemy on Mission Ridge, and ending with our arrival at this point December seventh:

At twelve M., November twenty-third, I received orders to form my brigade near Fort Wood, and hold it in readiness to move in the direction of Mission Ridge (south-easterly) with the remainder of the division on a reconnoissance. The position assigned me was on the right of the front line. The brigade was formed in five battalions, as follows:

First Battalion: Colonel Aquilla Wiley, Forty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, commanding, was composed of the following regiments, namely, Forty-first Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel R. L. Kimberly, and Ninety-third Ohio, Major Wm. Birch.

Second Battalion: Colonel W. W. Berry, Fifth Kentucky volunteer infantry, commanding; of the Fifth Kentucky volunteer infantry, Lieutenant-Cololonel J. L. Trainor, and Sixth Kentucky volunteer infantry, Major R. T. Whitaker.

Third Battalion: Lieutenant-Colonel E. B. Langdon, First Ohio volunteer infantry, commanding; of the First Ohio volunteer infantry, Major J. A. Stafford, and Twenty-third Kentucky volunteer infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel James C. Foy.

Fourth Battalion: Lieutenant-Colonel James Pickands, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, commanding; of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, Major J. B. Hampson, and Sixth Indiana, Major C. D. Campbell.

Fifth Battalion: Sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. Christopher, commanding. In all, two thousand two hundred and fifty-six effective officers and men.

The first and third battalions were deployed in the front line, and the fourth and fifth were formed in double column in the second line.

The second battalion was on picket, and in position to be used as skirmishers. The entire battalion was deployed as such, and at the sound of the bugle, at two P. M., the entire brigade moved forward in exact order, and in two minutes the skirmish line was sharply engaged with that of the enemy, which gave ground after firing their pieces, and no considerable opposition was felt after till we reached their first line of rifle-pits, about one half-mile to the rear of their picket-line, where the pickets and their reserves endeavored to check our advance; but, pushing the first battalion, that being immediately in front of their principal force, the work, situated on a rocky hill, was carried in the most handsome manner, capturing nearly the entire regiment holding it, the Twenty-eighth Alabama infantry, with their colors.

It was not accomplished, however, without serious cost to the Forty-first and Ninety-third Ohio. Major Birch, leading the latter, fell here; also, eleven of his men killed and forty-eight wounded. The Forty-first Ohio lost eleven men killed and fifty-two wounded.

Colonel Wiley and Lieutenant-Colonel Kimberly, of the same regiment, each had horses killed under them, and Colonel Berry, commanding the skirmishers, was struck twice.

This position was actually carried at the point of the bayonet, the enemy being captured behind their work by the men leaping over it.

During the last half mile of this advance my right was entirely exposed, and suffered severely from an enfilading fire of the enemy.

The night of the twenty-third was employed in strengthening our position by works, and the twenty-fourth was passed without engaging the enemy.

At about eleven A. M., on the twenty-fifth, I was ordered to advance my skirmish-line sufficiently to develop the enemy's strength behind his main line of breastworks at the foot of Mission Ridge, about one half-mile in our front. This was handsomely done under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher, Sixth Ohio infantry. In this advance, Major S. C. Erwine, Sixth Ohio infantry, was killed by a shell, and eight or ten others killed and wounded. At about three o'clock P. M., this day, I received orders to move forward with the remainder of the division and take possession of the enemy's works at the foot of Mission Ridge, taking cover behind them, and there to await further orders.

The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Ohio was on picket and used as skirmishers. The other formations of battalions were similar to that on the twenty-third instant; the Sixth Kentucky reporting to Colonel Christopher, and acting with the fifth battalion, and the Sixth Indiana, acting with the second; both lines were deployed; the third and fifth battalions forming the first, and the first and second the second line.

At the signal the brigade moved forward, and,