support he gave me throughout the brilliant operations which terminated in raising the protracted investment of Chattanooga and the rout of the rebel army.

Immediately after the termination of the operations around Chattanooga, my division, with another of the corps, was ordered to march to the relief of the garrison of Knoxville, beleaguered by the rebels under General Longstreet. Thinly clad, some of the men being absolutely barefooted and all deficient in clothing, and after having been more than two months on short rations, the march was cheerfully and rapidly made at a most inclement season of the year. The line of march having been changed after leaving Chattanooga, it was impossible to draw subsistence from the commissariat department, and during the remainder of the march it was necessary for the troops to subsist on the country. This their indomitable energy enabled them to do, and I may add they have been compelled to live in the same way, more or less, ever since. When we marched from Chattanooga it was understood that the object of the movement was simply to cause the siege of Knoxville to be raised and that so soon as this was accomplished we were to return. On our arrival at Knoxville, it was determined to hold us there while the garrison pursued the retreating rebels. After remaining at Knoxville a week, a report was received that Longstreet had turned on his pursuers and was driving them back. To support them, we were ordered to make a forced mark to this point, and here we have remained ever since, suffering all the privations and hardships that insufficient clothing, insufficient shelter, and insufficient food at the most inclement season of the year can produce.

When we marched from Chattanooga the troops were allowed but one wagons per regiment for the transportation of baggage, shelter, and cooking utensils.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

TH. J. WOOD,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel J. S. FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fourth Army Corps.

[Inclosure.]

Statement of Casualties in the third Division, Fourth Army Corps, in the operations before Chattanooga, November 23 and 25, 1863.

K i l l e d. W o u n d e d.

Command. Officers Enlisted Officers Enlisted Aggrega

men. men. te.

First Brigade. 7 46 17 267 337

Second Brigade. 7 86 30 399 522

Third Brigade. 2 12 12 148 174

Total* 16 144 59 814 1,033

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*But see revised statement, p.82.

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