No. 19.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel John E. Cummins, Ninety-ninth Ohio Infantry.

HDQRS. NINETY-NINTH REGIMENT OHIO VOL. INFANTRY, Shellmound, December 3, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Ninety-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the late engagement at Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, and Ringgold, Ga.:

The regiment marched from Shellmound on Monday morning, November 23, with 24 commissioned officers and 276 enlisted men. Fifteen men and 1 commissioned officer were detailed to guard brigade headquarters teams, and 12 enlisted men to guard ammunition train. These men were not afterward with the regiment until our return to Shellmound. The regiment went into the fight on Lookout Mountain with 23 commissioned officers and 241 enlisted men, of which 3 enlisted men were killed, 12 enlisted men wounded, and 1 commissioned officer wounded, viz.*

In marching up Lookout Mountain, with very few exceptions, the men and officers behaved exceedingly well. From the time the firing commenced on the skirmish line in the advance, the men pressed forward so eagerly that it was impossible to keep them back, and they rushed through the line in front, running right over the One hundred and forty-ninth New York Infantry, and taking the extreme advance. I tried to halt the regiment and reform it in the intrenchments to the left of the white house, but it was impossible; the men rushed on, sweeping around the mountain until we met a heavy force of the enemy near where they had built rifle-pits on the side of the mountain next Chattanooga. I ordered the men to take position behind a stone wall, which position they held the men to take position was nearly exhausted, and they were relieved by other troops. Nearly all of the officers and men behaved gallantly, and I only mention those who fell under my immediate notice. Adjt. E. B. Walkup was close by my side during the whole engagement, and rendered me valuable assistance. Captain Bope, when we were in the extreme advance, took charge of a party of men, stationed them among the rocks, and skirmished with the enemy back in a large open space between our troops and those on the right of the front line. I should remark that a portion, or perhaps the whole of the Fortieth Ohio Regiment and the Ninety-ninth, became mingled together in the impetuosity of the charge in the front, and remained there until relieved, fighting gallantly. Private Jacob Butler, of Company G, who captured a rebel major and was the first man in one of the rebel earth-works, deserves special notice; also Sergeant Duncan, color bearer of the regiment.

At Mission Ridge the regiment was not under fire. At Pigeon Mountain, Company D [Captain Bope] and Company B [Lieutenant Davison] were deployed as skirmishers, and advanced up the ridge on double-quick, capturing a rebel captain of artillery and 1 private.

At Ringgold the regiment was ordered to charge up Taylor's Ridge on the right of the gap, which they started to do with great

---------------

*Nominal list omitted.

---------------