Williams, of the brigade staff, who, with Lieutenant Ellison, of this command, brought forward ammunition to the battery under a very heavy fire.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

PETER SIMONSON,

Captain, Commanding fifth Battery Indiana Volunteers.

Captain FRANK P. STRADER,

Acting. Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade.

CAMP AT CHATTANOOGA, TENN.,

October 10, 1863.

COLONEL: The Fifth Indiana Battery was first put in position with the Third Brigade, Second Division, on the ground previously occupied by General Baird's division at 1.30 o'clock Saturday, when I opened fire on two batteries and a line of infantry firing in our front. After firing about 50 rounds their firing ceased, when the brigade charged and drove the enemy about half a mile out of the woods to a field. Upon reaching the batteries with which we were engaged, I found one of them to be three guns of the First Michigan Battery, which the enemy had captured and were using on us. Fighting continued at this place at intervals until dark, when a heavy force was massed on our left flank, which turned it, and the division was driven back. I lost a gun on this retreat by having a horse shot at a time when the gun was caught on a tree.

That night the battery was put in position in the line of battle with the brigade between Palmer's division on our right and Baird's division on the left. The battery staid there all the next day (Sunday), and was hotly engaged from 10 o'clock in the morning until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. We fired in this position over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and during the two days 1,247 rounds. In getting away from this position I lost another gun by having it disabled by a solid shot. From this position we moved slowly to Rossville, arriving there at about 10 o'clock. My thanks are due to Lieutenants Morrison and Briggs for gallantry,.

The loss in the battles was: Officers wounded, 1; men killed, 1; men wounded, 7; men missing, 1; horses shot, 30; guns and caissons lost, 2.

I am, very respectfully, yours, &c.,

PETER SIMONSON,

Captain, and Chief of Artillery.

Colonel JAMES BARNETT, Chief of Artillery.

Numbers 121.

Report of Major General Philip H. Sheridan, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,

Chattanooga, Tenn., September 30, 1863.:

On the 2nd and 3rd of September this division crossed the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, and encamped at Moore's Spring, in the