Numbers 193.

Report of Colonel Thomas Curly, Twenty-seventh Missouri Infantry.

HDQRS. TWENTY-SEVENTH MISSOURI INFANTRY, Bridgeport, Ala., December 13, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of His Excellency the Governor of Missouri, the part taken by the Twenty-seventh Regiment of Infantry Missouri Volunteers, under my command, during the engagements of the 24th and 25th of November, before Chattanooga, Tennessee:

On the evening of the 24th, shortly after daylight, Osterhaus' division, to which the Twenty-seventh Missouri belongs, marched to the foot of Lookout Mountain and there met the division of General Geary, both under the command of General Hooker, to whom was assigned the important duty of capturing Lookout Mountain; Geary's division on the right and Osterhaus' on the left, the Twenty-seventh on the right of Osterhaus' division.

We commenced the ascent of the mountain with but little opposition, capturing everything in our path. We swept around the side of the mountain in this way for the distance of 2 miles, when we came to the enemy's rifle-pits, which were captured also, together with two pieces of artillery in the front of General Geary. At this point the enemy fell back into heavy timber, and commenced a rapid fire of musketry, which was kept up on both sides, without cessation, until 12 o'clock that night. We lay on our arms all night, and when daylight came it was to find the enemy gone and the stronghold of Bragg's army in our possession.

Soon the Stars and Stripes were floating from the highest point overlooking Chattanooga. In this engagement the Twenty-seventh lost 2 killed and 3 wounded. It was here Adjutant Wellmeyer was shot in the left lung. In this officer the regiment has sustained a great loss. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon him for his bravery as a soldier and his capacity as an officer. The Twenty-seventh captured on that day 240 prisoners, including 1 major, 1 captain, and 5 lieutenants. I am proud to say, as every loyal Missourian ought to be, that Missouri has been well represented in the capture of Lookout Mountain on that memorable day.

Early on the morning of the 25th, we marched down the mountain, Osterhaus' division in advance, the Twenty-seventh in front, and moved in the direction of Missionary Ridge. We did not go far when we came to a bridge destroyed by the enemy in their retreat from the mountain. General Osterhaus ordered the Twenty-seventh to cross on some driftwood, and engage the enemy as skirmishers, if we should find him, while himself and General Woods, with the remainder of our brigade, set to work building the bridge. We then advanced about 1 mile, when we came to a place called Rossville Gap, the extreme left of Bragg's position on Missionary Ridge. Here the enemy was strongly posted in the gap, with four pieces of artillery and a strong support of infantry. We engaged him at once, and in such a manner as to cause him to open upon us with his artillery, but with little injury to us, his sharpshooters doing all the injury we received. We fought him here two hours or more, pressing him hard all the time, until the bridge was finished, when our division crossed over, but before it got into position the Twenty-seventh captured the gap, driving the enemy in confusion up the hill,