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tion of work。 It seemed to me that they were nearly impregnable。 We examined the redoubt named 〃Sanders；〃 where； on the Sunday previous； three brigades of the enemy had assaulted and met a bloody repulse。 Now； all was peaceful and quiet； but a few hours before； the deadly bullet sought its victim all round about that hilly barrier。
The general explained to me fully and frankly what he had done； and what he proposed to do。 He asked of me nothing but General Granger's command； and suggested； in view of the large force I had brought from Chattanooga； that I should return with due expedition to the line of the Hiawasaee； lest Bragg； reenforced； might take advantage of our absence to resume the offensive。 I asked him to reduce this to writing； which he did； and I here introduce it as part of my report：
HEADQUARTERS OF THE OHIO KNOXVILLE； December 7； 1863
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； commanding； etc。
GENERAL： I desire to express to you and your command my most hearty thanks and gratitude for your promptness in coming to our relief during the siege of Knoxville； and I am satisfied your approach served to raise the siege。 The emergency having passed； I do not deem； for the present； any other portion of your command but the corps of General Granger necessary for operations in this section； and； inasmuch as General Grant has weakened the forces immediately with him in order to relieve us （thereby rendering the position of General Thomas less secure）； I deem it advisable that all the troops now here； save those commanded by General Granger； should return at once to within supporting distance of the forces in front of Bragg's army。 In behalf of my command； I desire again to thank you and your command for the kindness you have done us。
I am； general； very respectfully； your obedient servant；
A。 E。 BURNSIDE； Major…General commanding。
Accordingly； having seen General Burnside's forces move out of Knoxville in pursuit of Longstreet； and General Granger's move in； I put in motion my own command to return。 General Howard was ordered to move； via Davis's Ford and Sweetwater； to Athena； with a guard forward at Charleston； to hold and repair the bridge which the enemy had retaken after our passage up。 General Jeff。 C。 Davis moved to Columbus； on the Hiawaesee； via Madisonville； and the two divisions of the Fifteenth Corps moved to Tellico Plains； to cover movement of cavalry across the mountains into Georgia； to overtake a wagon…train which had dodged us on our way up； and had escaped by way of Murphy。 Subsequently； on a report from General Howard that the enemy held Charleston； I diverted General Ewing's division to Athena； and went in person to Tellico with General Morgan L。 Smith's division。 By the 9th all our troops were in position； and we held the rich country between the Little Tennessee and the Hiawasaee。 The cavalry； under Colonel Long； passed the mountain at Tellico； and proceeded about seventeen miles beyond Murphy； when Colonel Long； deeming his farther pursuit of the wagon…train useless； returned on the 12th to Tellico。 I then ordered him and the division of General Morgan L。 Smith to move to Charleston； to which point I had previously ordered the corps of General Howard。
On the 14th of December all of my command in the field lay along the Hiawassee。 Having communicated to General Grant the actual state of affairs； I received orders to leave； on the line of the Hiawassee； all the cavalry； and come to Chattanooga with the rest of my command。 I left the brigade of cavalry commanded by Colonel Long； reenforced by the Fifth Ohio Cavalry （Lieutenant…Colonel Heath）the only cavalry properly belonging to the Fifteenth Army Corpsat Charleston； and with the remainder moved by easy marches； by Cleveland and Tyner's Depot； into Chattanooga； where I received in person from General Grant orders to transfer back to their appropriate commands the corps of General Howard and the division commanded by General Jeff。 C。 Davis； and to conduct the Fifteenth Army Corps to its new field of operations。
It will thus appear that we have been constantly in motion since our departure from the Big Black； in Mississippi； until the present moment。 I have been unable to receive from subordinate commanders the usual full； detailed reports of events； and have therefore been compelled to make up this report from my own personal memory； but； as soon so possible； subordinate reports will be received and duly forwarded。
In reviewing the facts； I must do justice to the men of my command for the patience； cheerfulness； and courage which officers and men have displayed throughout； in battle； on the march； and in camp。 For long periods； without regular rations or supplies of any kind； they have marched through mud and over rocks； sometimes barefooted； without a murmur。 Without a moment's rest after a march of over four hundred miles； without sleep for three successive nights； we crossed the Tennessee； fought our part of the battle of Chattanooga； pursued the enemy out of Tennessee； and then turned more than a hundred and twenty miles north and compelled Longstreet to raise the siege of Knoxville； which gave so much anxiety to the whole country。 It is hard to realize the importance of these events without recalling the memory of the general feeling which pervaded all minds at Chattanooga prior to our arrival。 I cannot speak of the Fifteenth Army Corps without a seeming vanity； but as I am no longer its commander； I assert that there is no better body of soldiers in America than it。 I wish all to feel a just pride in its real honors。
To General Howard and his command； to General Jeff。 C。 Davis and his； I am more than usually indebted for the intelligence of commanders and fidelity of commands。 The brigade of Colonel Bushbeck； belonging to the Eleventh Corps； which was the first to come out of Chattanooga to my flank； fought at the Tunnel Hill； in connection with General Ewing's division； and displayed a courage almost amounting to rashness。 Following the enemy almost to the tunnel…gorge； it lost many valuable lives； prominent among them Lieutenant…Colonel Taft； spoken of as a most gallant soldier。
In General Howard throughout I found a polished and Christian gentleman； exhibiting the highest and most chivalric traits of the soldier。 General Davis handled his division with artistic skill； more especially at the moment we encountered the enemy's rear…guard； near Graysville； at nightfall。 I must award to this division the credit of the best order during our movement through East Tennessee； when long marches and the necessity of foraging to the right and left gave some reason for disordered ranks：
Inasmuch as exception may be taken to my explanation of the temporary confusion； during the battle of Chattanooga； of the two brigades of General Matthias and Colonel Raum； I will here state that I saw the whole； and attach no blame to any one。 Accidents will happen in battle； as elsewhere； and at the point where they so manfully went to relieve the pressure on other parts of our assaulting line； they exposed themselves unconsciously to an enemy vastly superior in force； and favored by the shape of the ground。 Had that enemy come out on equal terms； those brigades world have shown their mettle； which has been tried more than once before and stood the test of fire。 They reformed their ranks； and were ready to support General Ewing's division in a very few minutes； and the circumstance would have hardly called for notice on my part； had not others reported what was seen from Chattanooga； a distance of nearly five miles； from where could only be seen the troops in the open field in which this affair occurred。
I now subjoin the best report of casualties I am able to compile from the records thus far received：
Killed； Wounded； and Missing。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1949
No report from General Davis's division； but loss is small。
Among the killed were some of our most valuable officers： Colonels Putnam； Ninety…third Illinois； O'Meara； Ninetieth Illinois； and Torrence； Thirtieth Iowa； Lieutenant…Colonel…Taft； of the Eleventh Corps； and Major Bushnell； Thirteenth Illinois。
Among the wounded are Brigadier…Generals Giles A。 Smith； Corse； and Matthias； Colonel Raum； Colonel Waugelin； Twelfth Missouri； Lieutenant…Colonel Partridge； Thirteenth Illinois； Major P。 I。 Welsh； Fifty…sixth Illinois； and Major Nathan McAlla； Tenth Iowa。
Among the missing is Lieutenant…Colonel Archer； Seventeenth Iowa。
My report is already so long； that I must forbear mentioning acts of individual merit。 These will be recorded in the reports of division commanders； which I will cheerfully indorse； but I mnst say that it is but justice that colonels of regiments； who have so long and so well commanded brigades； as in the following cases； should be commissioned to the grade which they have filled with so much usefulness and credit to the public service； viz。： Colonel J。 R。 Cockerell； Seventieth； Ohio； Colonel J。 M。 Loomis； Twenty…sixth Illinois； Colonel C。 C。 Walcutt； Forty…sixth Ohio； Colonel J。 A。 Williamson； Fourth Iowa； Colonel G。 B。 Raum； Fifty…sixth Illinois； Colonel J。 I。 Alexander； Fifty…ninth Indiana。
My personal staff； as usual； have served their co