Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[104] arm broken, and T. H. Stevenson, slightly wounded, musket shot; Sergeant I. V. Elder, severely wounded in left side, musket shot; Privates Wm. Campbell, severely wounded in thigh; James Stuard, severely wounded by shell in back; James Evans, seriously wounded in breast, musket shot; I. O. Eversole, slightly wounded by. shell; T. E. Stanley, slightly wounded by shell.

Five horses were killed, three by musketry, two by shell; nine horses were wounded, two by shell, seven by musketry.

The following ammunition was expended:

	shot.	shell.	Sph. Case.	total.
First day	272	176	176	624
Second day	160	230	290	530
	432	406	466	1204

No casualties on the sixteenth instant.

I take pleasure in reporting the good conduct of officers and men of the command throughout the engagement.

I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully

Your obedient Servant,

Major: I have the honor to transmit the following report of the action of my command during the past campaign:

On the seventh day of December, I reported to Major-General Steedman, in accordance with verbal orders received from department Headquarters, and by his directions placed my brigade in line near the city graveyard, the right resting on College street, and the left on the right of Colonel Harrison's brigade, where we threw up two lines of rifle-pits.

On the eleventh of December made a reconnoissance by order of the General commanding, to see if enemy were still in our front. Two hundred men, under command of Colonel John A. Hottenstein, pressed the enemy's picket line, and reserves to their main line of works, where they were found to be in force. The object of the reconnoissance having been accomplished, we retired to our position in line by the direction of the Major-General commanding. This was the first time that any of my troops had skirmished with an enemy, and their conduct was entirely satisfactory.

On the thirteenth of December, by order of the General commanding, I reported to Colonel Malloy, commanding brigade, provisional division, District of the Etowah, to make a reconnoissance on the east side of the N. and C. railroad, to see if the enemy was still in force in that vicinity. The Thirteenth regiment, United States colored infantry, was deployed as skirmishers, and the Twelfth and One Hundredth regiments, United States colored infantry, were held in reserve in line. We advanced from the Murfreesboro pike, with the skirmishers of Colonel Malloy's brigade connecting with my left, and drove the enemy's picket and reserves to their main line, after a somewhat stubborn resistance on the grounds of Mr. Raines.

The enemy were there in full force, and sharp firing was kept up as long as we remained there, which was until nearly dark.

We retired to our position in line, but not without loss. Captain Robert Headen, of Company E, Twelfth United States colored infantry, was mortally wounded, while on the skirmish line, pushing his company forward under a heavy fire from the enemy's earthworks; several men were also killed and wounded.

On the fifteenth of December, by directions received by the Major-General commanding, I moved my command at six o'clock A. M., to assault the enemy's works between the railroad and the Nolensville pike. So that the movement might be made more rapidly, I moved the two regiments, which were to be in the first line (the Thirteenth and One Hundredth United States colored infantry), under cover of the railroad bank, and placed them in column of company, side by side, and awaited the opening of the battle, which was to be done by Colonel Morgan on the left.

As soon as his guns were heard, I moved across the railroad; the reserve regiment (the Twelfth United States colored infantry) passing in the rear through a culvert, and wheeling into line, charged and took the works in our front. The enemy was evidently expecting us to move to the left of the railroad, as their artillery was moved to meet us there, and was not opened on us until we had gained the works and were comparatively well protected. My orders being to await there the orders of the General commanding, my command was kept in the same position during the day, except making slight changes in the direction of the line, to protect the men from an enfilading fire. Sharp firing was kept up between the skirmishers, and considerable artillery ammunition expended.

The section of the Twentieth Indiana battery, commanded by Lieutenant York, who was wounded, and afterwards by Lieutenant Stevenson, did excellent execution, and drove the enemy's battery opposing it from the position which it took to operate against us.

During the night we strengthened our rifle pits, and threw up an earthwork for the protection of the artillery, which had been much exposed during the day to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters.

At daylight on the morning of December