When the head of my column arrived at the depot I was ordered by General Osterhaus to send a regiment to assist the Seventy-sixth in carrying the heights on the left of the gap, through which the railroad passes. I immediately sent the Fourth Iowa Infantry, which advanced up the hill with the Seventy-sixth Regiment, under a most galling and well-directed fire from the enemy's sharpshooters, to within a short distance of the top, when they fixed bayonets and charged to the summit, where a terrific and almost hand-to-hand engagement ensued. No better fighting was ever done, nor was fighting ever done under more hopeless circumstances. Finally, after losing a large per cent. of both regiments (especially of the Seventy-sixth Ohio), they were compelled to retire a few rods on account of a fire on both flanks and having no support, where they held their position until I brought up two other regiments (the Ninth and Twenty-sixth Iowa), when they all charged, and carried the crest of the hill.

Too much cannot be said in praise of the regiment. Many instances of individual bravery might be mentioned if I were acquainted with the parties; as it is, I can only state that Major Warner did all that a brave and efficient officer could do (at one time seizing the colors from the fallen color bearer, going to the front and cheering the men forward), and the regiment gallantly supported him.

J. A. WILLIAMSON,

Colonel, Comdg. 2nd Brig., 1st Div., 15th Army Corps.

Numbers 195.

Report of Colonel James A. Williamson, Fourth Iowa Infantry commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FIRST DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Camp at Ringgold, Ga., November 28, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the action of this brigade in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold, including all its movements from the 24th until the evening of the 27th instant.

The brigade is composed of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Burton; the Ninth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Colonel David Carskaddon; the Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Colonel George A. Stone; the Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Colonel Milo Smith; the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel A. Roberts, and the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. W. Jenkins. At the hour named in the order of the night previous the brigade moved, following the First Brigade, to a point in front of Lookout Mountain, near where the attack was to be commenced, and formed line of battle by battalions en masse at deploying intervals. Very soon after my line was formed I received an order from you to send a regiment to support a battery on the hill immediately in front of Lookout Mountain, and commanding that portion of it when our troops were making the attack.

I detached my right regiment, the Fourth, and sent it to the place designated. Soon after this I received another order to send one more regiment, to report to yourself, for some purpose unknown to me. In obedience to the order, I sent you the Twenty-fifth.