Numbers 103.

Report of Colonel James Wood, jr., One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Infantry, including march to the relief of Knoxville.

HDQRS. 136TH REGIMENT NEW YORK VOL. INFANTRY,
Lookout Valley, December 19, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the regiment under my command since and including the 22nd day of November ultimo, up to the 19th day of December instant when the regiment returned to its present camp:

On the 22nd day of November last, pursuant to orders, the regiment marched with the brigade to Chattanooga. We left camp at 1 p.m. of the day and arrived at Chattanooga soon after sundown and bivouacked on the outskirts of the city. The regimental baggage, including all the personal effects of the officers except such as they wore on their persons, were left behind in charge of the regimental quartermaster. The only thing noticeable in connection with this march and bivouac was the great scarcity of wood in and around Chattanooga outside of the enemy's line. So great was this scarcity that it was with the utmost difficulty a sufficient quantity could be obtained to enable the men to boil their coffee. The regiment occupied the ground on which it bivouacked until the afternoon of the 23rd ultimo.

At about 1 o'clock of the 23rd November, I received orders to march in column by division toward the enemy's line at the foot of Missionary Ridge. This march was in connection with the brigade, division, and corps of which the regiment forms a part. All knapsacks, blankets, and tents of the men were, by order, left on the ground on which they bivouacked. The Eleventh Corps was moved in front and to the right of Fort Wood, and was understood to be held in reserve to the Fourteenth Army Corps in the attack made by it on the enemy posted at the foot of Missionary Ridge.

The attack was successfully made, and the enemy driven from his position. The Eleventh Corps then marched to the front, to the left of the position it then occupied, and formed ion line of battle on the left of the Fourteenth Corps. The Second Brigade was formed in two lines, the One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry on the right, and the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry on the left, deployed in line of battle, forming the first line. In this formation we advanced upon the enemy; his pickets were soon driven in and a spirited contest very son commenced between his skirmishers and the skirmishers thrown out from the One hundred and thirty-sixth and Fifty-fifth. The enemy's skirmishers held a strong position in a brick house which was immediately in front of the line of our advance and between our forces and their line of battle. This strong position of the enemy's skirmishers was handsomely and gallantly carried by our skirmishers, and they were driven behind their line of battle, which was protected by a strong line of rifle-pits. This encounter did not in the least retard the advance of our line of battle, and the enemy had given the order to retreat from their rifle-pits, when it was discovered that the line of battle of the Second Brigade was in advance of the Third Division on our right, and the First Brigade of the Second Division on our left; that in fact the troops on our right and left