General Palmer gave me permission to do so, and the first shot, at 10 elevation, went over the ridge without doing any damage. The next shot, at 7 elevation, burst in the rebel battery, and, as I have since ascertained, killed 3 men and 1 horse, and wounded 2 men. I fired several shots at the same point afterward, but did not succeed in bursting any more shell at that point-sometimes beyond and sometimes a little short on the side of the ridge. The piece with which I was firing stood on soft ground at the time, which made it almost impossible to calculate precisely the elevation to give the piece. Soon after bursting the shell in the rebel battery, I opened fire on a body of the enemy's troops who were advancing up the side of the ridge. For this purpose I placed the pieces inside the framework and on the platform, and opened on them. The first shot drove them into their rifle-pits, about one-third of the way up the ridge, and one more round of percussion shell, which burst in their rifle-pits, drove them out of them and up the hill. I continued firing at these troops and at the batteries on the summit of the ridge until our men, who were charging up the hill, had advanced so far as to make it dangerous for me to fire at the ridge, so I ceased firing for the day. I fired about 60 rounds during the day, and I am confident with good success. The conduct of my officers and men was good, doing their whole duty.

In reference to the part taken by the Eighth Wisconsin Battery, I take pleasure in stating that Lieutenant Obadiah German has forwarded his report, which is as follows.*

The other two batteries of this brigade, namely, Battery A, First Middle Tennessee Volunteers, and the Third Wisconsin Battery, were not called into action, and therefore have no reports to forward. No report has been received from the Tenth Wisconsin Battery, which is stationed at Harrison's Landing, Tennessee

I am, captain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

J. W. CHURCH,

Captain Battery D, 1st Michigan Artillery,

Comdg. 1st Brig., 2nd Div., Art. Reserve, Dept. of Cumberland.

Captain LOUIS J. LAMBERT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 184.

Report of Lieutenant Obadiah German, Eighth Wisconsin Battery.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH WISCONSIN BATTERY,
Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 27, 1863.

ADJUTANT: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with orders received from Major Mendenhall, assistant chief of artillery, on Monday, November 23, about noon, I manned my guns, which were in position in the rear of Fort Cheatham. At 5 p. m. received orders from General Brannan to report to General Baird.

On the morning of the 24th, being furnished horses and mules, by order of General Baird, I marched to the front with two sections of the battery, 71 men and 3 commissioned officers, and took position about 400 yards in front of Fort Cheatham, remaining in position

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*See report following.

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