[CHAP. XLIII.

Numbers 88.

Report of Colonel Charles F. Manderson, Nineteenth Ohio Infantry.

HDQRS. NINETEENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOL. INFANTRY.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 27, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the late engagement:

At 5.30 a.m. on Monday, the 23d, the regiment went on picket, with the left outpost (Numbers 4.) on the Tennessee River bank across Citico Creek and the right connecting with the Eighth Kansas Regiment of General Willich's brigade. The regiment, numbering 250 privates, 28 sergeants, 22 officers, was divided into eight reliefs, four of which were on outpost duty and the remainder held at the station. At about 2 p.m, under orders communicated by Brigadier-General Willich in person, I deployed outposts Numbers 1, Lieutenant Reefy commanding; Numbers 2. Captain Laubie commanding, and No., 3. Lieutenant Walker commanding, on the picket line as skirmishers, with instructions to advance, guiding from the right and refusing the left. Outpost Numbers 4. Captain Agard commanding, was ordered to remain and hold the position between the river and creek. At 2.30 the advance was made, the picket of the enemy offering considerable resistance, but being driven with loss beyond the railroad embankment, where he rallied on an open field in the rifle-pits thrown up for the protection of his picket reserves. Here I strengthened the skirmish line by deploying another relief, under the command of Captain Percival, and, the whole line advancing briskly, under the charge of Captain Brewer, drove the enemy from his works, wounding some and capturing prisoners. The left of the skirmish line, meeting with a heavy flanking fire from across the creek, by which Lieutenant Walker was severely wounded, had changed front to the left and under charge of Captain Laubie, held the foe in check. The front of the line pushed on at a double-quick across open fields, driving the enemy from two houses, in front of one of which was a lengthy rifle-pit, from which the enemy fled, and which we held under the fire from the house.

The Ninth Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel Cram commanding, which at the commencement of the advance had formed our support, having moved far to the right, and there being a movement of a force around our left with an apparent disposition to flank us, I sent word by Lieutenant-Colonel Stratton of the fact to Brigadier-General Beatty, and, moving the reserve by the right flank out of the open field, took cover in the woods to the right, changing front to the left,and was there rejoined by the Ninth Kentucky Volunteers, which formed on our right. Here we rested until our skirmishers were relieved by those of General Howard's corps, when by order the regiment rejoined the brigade about dark. About 8 o'clock, Captain Agard's command, across Citico Creek, having been relieved and joined the regiment, by verbal order of Brigadier-General Beatty, we marched to camp, distributed rations and ammunition, and at 10 o'clock returned, forming with the Ninth Kentucky Volunteers one battalion in double column in rear of the Seventeenth Kentucky Volunteers . We rested in this position until Wednesday afternoon, when the advance was ordered. We marched in column of divisions, left in front, to a position close to the enemy's works, at the foot