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294 Series I Volume XLV-I Serial 93 - Franklin - Nashville Part I

Page 294 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LVII.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

Recapitulation of the captures of this division in the battles of Nashville and pursuit of the rebel army under General Hood.

Field piece................................................ 13

Battle-flags............................................... 2

U. S. Guidon (recaptured).................................. 1

Officer's sword............................................ 1

Prisoners.................................................. 721

Numberless small-arms of which no account was taken, as the pursuit was too rapid to admit of giving them attention.


Numbers 67. Report of Colonel Abel D. Streight, Fifty-first Indiana Infantry, commanding First brigade, of operations December 15, 1864 - January 5, 1865.


HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, THIRD DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Camp Green, Near Huntsville, Ala., January 8, 1865.

SIR: In accordance with orders received yesterday from division headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the battles near Nashville, and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy:

My brigade occupied, previous to the engagement, the hill to right and front of Mars. Acklen's residence, with our right resting on the Hillsborough pike and immediately in front of the enemy's works on Montgomery Hill. On the evening of the 14th of December I received instructions from General Beatty in person to be ready to move at 6.30 o'clock the following morning, with sixty rounds of cartridges per man, and to take up my position on the left of the Second Brigade, and form in two lines, the first deployed in line of battle, and the second line in double column at half distance within supporting distance of the front line. The next morning everything was in readiness in accordance with instructions, but did not receive orders to move until about 11 a. m., when the brigade was moved over the works and formed immediately in front of its old position in the following order: The Eighth Kansas Volunteers on the right and the Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers on the left of the line, and the Eighty-ninth Illinois Volunteers on the right, the Fifteenth Ohio Volunteers in the center, and the Forty-ninth Ohio Volunteers on the left, formed in double column at half distance, composed the second line. We remained in this position about one hour, when I received orders to move forward on the left and in conjunction with the Second Brigade, and charge the enemy's works on Montgomery Hill. Our advance was sharply contested at first, but the impetuosity of the men seemed almost uncontrollable, and soon all firing ceased on our side, and the only unsettled question for the time seemed to be as to who among our officers and men should reach the works first, which I believe was settled in favor of the Eighth Kansas boys, though the boys of the Fifty-first were but a few seconds later; nor was the second line much behind, and I am not certain but that many of those who belonged in the second line had reached and formed a part of the advance by the time the works were carried. The enemy fled in confusion, the Fifty-first Indiana Volunteers and Eighth Kansas Volunteers and portions of the other regiments pursuing for


Page 294 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LVII.