at times during forty-eight hours, without a murmur, bespeaks for them the highest considerable as soldiers.

Colonel J. I. Alexander's long service and soldierly qualities entitle him to the highest consideration of the honorable Secretary of War, to whom I respectfully recommend him for promotion. Also, to my staff, Captain M. Rochester, assistant adjutant-general; Captains M. H. Lydick and S. M. Budlong; Lieutenants C. L. White and O. Lovell, all of whom sustained their previous reputation won on the fields of Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, and Vicksburg, for the intrepid and efficient manner in which they discharged their duties.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN E. SMITH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Major W. D. GREEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 210.

Report of Colonel Jesse I. Alexander, Fifty-ninth Indiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

HDQRS. 1ST BRIGADE, 2nd DIVISION, 17TH ARMY CORPS, Near Chattanooga, November 29, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this brigade since Monday last:

In compliance with an order from division headquarters, Brigadier General John E. Smith, the brigade moved from camp at 12 m. on the night of the 23rd instant to the river bank, where boats were found in readiness to carry the brigade across the river. With perfect silence and the utmost care the command reached the opposite shore in good order.

Immediately on reaching the land, the Fourth Minnesota, Lieutenant Colonel J. E. Tourtellotte commanding, was deployed as skirmishers, covering the brigade front and looking well to our right flank. The other regiments comprising the brigade, viz; Eighteenth Wisconsin Volunteers, Colonel Gabriel Bouck commanding; Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteers, Captain W. H. Welman commanding; Forty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel E. J. Wood commanding, and the Sixty-third Illinois Volunteers, Colonel J. B. McCown commanding, were ordered to intrench themselves, and in one hour and twenty minutes the entire command was under cover, where we remained until after daylight and until after the Third Brigade had crossed and formed on our right, when we advanced to, and intrenched on, the second ridge, at which point Lieutenant-Colonel Tourtellotte, commanding skirmishers, sent back to me the eneny's cavalry picket, captured in our front.

At 1 o'clock, in compliance with an order from the division commander, I advanced the brigade, formed in column of divisions, to the crest of Missionary Ridge, where the command was deployed in line of battle and ordered to immediately intrench, the Fourth Minnesota still in front as skirmishers and warmly engaged with the enemy at the foot of the ridge. With great labor two guns of the Sixth Wisconsin Battery were drawn by the men and placed in position on the top of the ridge.