I received a dispatch from Colonel Palmer, written at Leifghton, asking my permission to pursue, capture, and destroy Hood's train. I immediately gave him permission to exercise his own judgment in the matter. He decided to pursue, and in the most splendid manner not only accomplished all he proposed-the destruction of the pontoon train-but pursued, captured, and destroyed a supply train of 110 wagons. Colonel Palmer's command, in this enterprising and daring expedition, captured and destroyed upward of 300 wagons, nearly 1,000 stand of arms, a large number of mules and oxen, and captured and turned over 2 pieces of artillery, 200 prisoners, including 13 commissioned officers, and 170 serviceable mules. To support the movement of Colonel Palmer I advanced two brigades of infantry, under command of Colonel Thompson, to Town Creek, seven miles west of Courtland, and one brigade, under command of Colonel Salm, to Leighton. General Cruft's division, with the artillery, remained at Courtland.

January 3, having learned that Colonel Palmer had been successful, and receiving an order from Major-General Thomas to return with my command to Chattanooga, I moved with my infantry and artillery for Decatur, reaching that place on the evening of the 5th of January.

January 4, at 1 a.m., I moved with the artillery and sick of the command on board the transports, for Chattanooga, leaving Brigadier General Cruft to return with the infantry by rail. General Cruft was delayed several days on his return by an order from Major-General Thomas directing him to pursue the rebel Lyon. This portion of the campaign, owing to the heavy rains swelling all the streams out of their banks and rendering the roads almost wholly impassable, was very arduous, but was skillfully and satisfactory conducted by General Cruft, resulting in the capture of a part of Lyon's men, and driving all who escaped out of the country utterly demoralized. The report of General Cruft, herewith forwarded, gives a detailed history of his operations in pursuit of General Lyon. January 13 General Cruft returned to Chattanooga with his command.

The following table will show the casualties of my command during the entire campaign:

Killed. Wounded.

Command. Officers Men Officers Men

14th U. S. Colored ........ 4 ......... 41

Infantry

44th U. S. Colored 1 2 ..... 27

Infantry

16th U. S. Colored ....... 1 ....... 2

Infantry

18th U. S. Colored ...... 1 ..... 5

Infantry

17th U. S. Colored 2 14 4 64

Infantry

12th U. S. Colored 3 10 3 99

Infantry

13th U. S. Colored 4 51 4 161

Infantry

100th U. S. Colored ..... 12 5 116

Infantry

18th Ohio Infantry 2 9 2 38

68th Indiana .... 1 ..... 7

Infantry

Provisional 1 19 3 74

Division, Army of

the Cumberland

20th Indiana ....... ....... 2 6

Battery

Total 13 124 23 640

Missing. Total.

Command. Offi- Men Offi- Men Remarks

cers cers

14th U. S. Colored ..... 20 ..... 65
Organized

Infantry as the

44th U. S. Colored 2 49 3 78
First

Infantry Colored

16th U. S. Colored .... ..... ..... 3
Brigade,

Infantry Colonel

18th U. S. Colored ..... 3 ..... 9
T. J.

Infantry Morgan

17th U. S. .... .... 6 78
commanding

Colored Infantry

12th U. S. Colored ..... ..... 6 109
Organized

Infantry as the

13th U. S. Colored ..... 1 8 213
Second

Infantry Colored

Brigade,

100th U. S. .... ..... 5 128
Colonel

Colored Infantry C. R.

Thompson

commanding

18th Ohio ..... 9 4 56
Included

Infantry in the

68th Indiana .... .... .... 8

Infantry Provisional

Division,

Army of the

Cumberland,

Provisional .... 33 4 126

Division, Army Brigadier-

of the Cumberland General

Cruft

commanding.

20th Indiana .... .... 2 6 Captain

Battery Osborne.

Total 2 115 38 879