and wounded. The regiments and batteries in my command represented the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky. The citizens of these great and loyal States have much cause to be proud of their honor and the public weal to such representatives. For the special commendation by name of the more subordinate officers and men who distinguished themselves, I must refer the commanding general to the reports of my brigade commanders, Colonels Harker and Buell, with their accompanying documents,the sub-reports of regimental commanders.

Where so great a portion of my command behaved well, it is difficult to distinguish officers by name, and perhaps may be regarded as making an invidious distinction. Nevertheless, I consider it my duty, on account of their distinguished service, to commend to the notice of the commanding general Colonel Dunlap, commanding Third Kentucky; Colonel McIlvain, commanding Sixty-fourth Ohio; Colonel Opdycke, commanding One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio, and Captain Bradley, commanding Sixth Ohio Battery.

I desire to commend Colonel Opdycke, especially to the favorable consideration of the commanding general. The record of his regiment (a comparatively new one and never before in a general engagement) in the late battle will, I am sure, compare most favorably with that of the most veteran regiments engaged. The credit is mainly due to the colonel commanding. His untiring zeal and devoted attention to his regiment has brought forth fruit worthy of his efforts. I commend him to the commanding general as an officer capable and worthy of commanding a brigade.

Colonel Buell commanding the First Brigade of my division, has exercised this command about three months. He bore himself with great gallantry on the field both on Saturday, the 19th, and Sunday, the 20th. With a little more experience he would make an excellent brigadier-general, and should receive the promotion.

In my report of the battle of Stone's River I especially signalized the services of Colonel Harker, commanding the Third Brigade of my division, and earnestly recommended him for promotion, both as a reward for his merits and as an act of simple justice. In the late campaign he has peculiarly distinguished himself. He made two of the most daring and brilliant reconnaissances during the campaign-reconnaissances almost without a parallel in the annals of warfare; and his personal gallantry on the battle-field, the skillful manner in which he handled his brigade, holding it so well together when so many other troops broke, and his general good conduct, are beyond all praise. To speak of his services in the language of what I conceive to be just encomium might be considered fulsome praise.

I earnestly recommend him for immediate promotion to the rank of brigadier-general.

Returns herewith submitted show that I went into action on Saturday with an effective force of men and officers of 2,965. The return of casualties shows that my command lost in killed and wounded, absolutely known, it will be found to be 28.80 per cent. of the effective force with which I went into action. But it is fair to presume as we retired from the field Sunday evening, that many of the 191 reported missing were either killed or wounded, and that their bodies fell into