of hard bread, pork, and coffee, in quiet possession of the field. In a few days after, stung with disappointed hope that the enemy, who should have been ours, had escaped from our grasp, we found ourselves retracing our weary steps to Tennessee, where we now are watching the movements of our subtle, traitorous foe. In the four months embraced in this report we have been without tents sixty-six days, during which has occurred the severest snow storm this regiment has seen the past year. In all we have now in the regiment,. Total upon the sick list,. Absent in different hospitals,. Sick in camp,... . . Amount of hospital funds on hand,. Total number of miles marched from August first to December first,.... Total number of miles travelled by this regiment since we left Fort Snelling, Oct. fourteenth, 1861,.. 709 556 • 66 54 12 $69 642 3166 69 Total number of deaths in the same time,. In company D, there have died, Leonard Town, Charles T. Watkins, and Charles W. Bartlett. In company E, three have died: Edward Pasco, Benjamin Roundville, and Warren Spaulding. In company F, there have been two deaths: Oliver N. Keyes and Marquis D. Mitchell. In company I, one has died: De Loss Eustice. The health of our regiment amidst such severe exposures and toil calls for special gratitude to God. As we have literally here no continuing city or abiding-place, and much of the time have been in hourly expectation of skirmishes and battle with the enemy, while this service has been so active, full of toil, fatigue, and anxiety, and when a few hours have been spent in camp, there has been such a demand for rest, that few and far between have been the opportunities for public worship. Still we have had religious services occasionally during the last four months. We have such a vast number in our hospitals who can be reached by religious instruction under highly favorable circumstances, while the services of the field are so active, leaving no time upon the Sabbath as upon other days, for any thing but strictly military duties, it is a serious question whether most of our chaplains should not confine much or all of their time to the afflicted in hospitals instead of remaining in the field, where their opportunities for doing good are by necessity, exceedingly small, whatever may be their devotion to their work. With sentiments of high regard, I remain, dear Colonel, your humble servant, T. R. CRESSY, Chaplain Minnesota Second Regiment. Doc. 57. ACTION NEAR FRANKLIN, VA. IN THE FIELD OF ALBERT JOHNSON, TWO MILES FROM CARSVILLE, VA., December 2, 1862. YESTERDAY afternoon, a force of three thousand, including one section of Howard's battery, two sections of the Seventh Massachusetts battery, the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, and five regiments of infantry-the Ohio Sixty-second, Illinois Thirty-ninth, Pennsylvania One Hundred and Third, New-York One Hundred and Thirtieth, and Massachusetts Sixth-all under command of Col. Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, left Suffolk, with two days' rations, for a little business excursion toward Franklin. Indications of rebel forces were seen during the day on our side of the Blackwater, and their pickets were chased by the scouts of the Eleventh. Soon after sunrise, this morning, the whole force reached Beaver Dam Church, two miles beyond Carsville, and three miles short of Franklin, when the videttes brought in the exciting news that a squad of our pickets, some dozen in number, had boldly charged on a large rebel force of cavalry and a battery, at a point a mile or so beyond, toward Franklin. These tidings raised the ardor of the Eleventh, and under the lead of Col. Spear, its commander, and Major Stratton, who headed the charge, the force, consisting of companies A, B, G, and I, made a most dashing and brilliant charge on the rebel corps, which proved to be four companies of the Second Georgia regiment of cavalry and two pieces of the far-famed rocket battery, presented to Gen. McClellan in Europe, and captured from him by the rebels. As soon as our force made its appearance, a most ignominious skedaddle ensued. It commenced a mile from Franklin, and was followed by the dash and abandon that have made "Spear's cavalry" the crack corps of Peck's division, until the force reached the floating bridge at Franklin, and the retreat was covered by the batteries across the Blackwater. The boys returned from their charge with twenty rebel prisoners from the rocket battery, and the Second Georgia cavalry, Col. Joel R. Griffin, thirty-five guns, seven horses, a quantity of accoutrements and equipments, and, best achievement of all, two of twelve pieces of the rocket battery. This arm, with its noisy projectile, full of sound and fury, is regarded as most formidable by the cavalry, as it introduces great consternation among horses. We captured caissons, two guns, and a quantity of rockets, four large horses, and all the men who worked the guns. Nearly all the captured prisoners were wounded, mostly by sabre-cuts, some of which were severe, but none fatal. The prisoners were a sorry set, most of whom expressed joy at being captured, and at the promise of food, and exemption from a forced military service. "Butternut," and the coarsest gray, constituted their clothing, and they received food, especially coffee, with ravenous appetites, assuring us that only "hard tack"-ten crackers a day-formed their regular rations, and that they were the victims of a conscription, from which they were glad to escape by the oath of allegiance. Conversations with the prisoners inform us that there are about three thousand troops in and near Franklin, and that they are strongly fortified with fifteen pieces of artillery, two pieces of which, at least, are very large siege-guns, procured since the recent set-to we had with them, of which I lately advised you. These forces are all under the command of General Robinson and General French. If those we have captured are specimens of the rest, the artillery constitutes all the formidable force the enemy has. The cavalry were mounted on but tolerable horses, with rifles and fowling-pieces that can only be loaded when the men are dismounted, without sabre or pistol. One regiment of our boys would be good for three such. Col. Spear, with characteristic courage, asked leave to follow up his advantage, feeling sure that he could wipe out Franklin with the force under his command, but, for reasons that are doubtless sufficient, a despatch from headquarters-fifteen miles distant-orders us to return at sunrise in the morning, and accordingly we are bivouacked in this place for the night, having accomplished this really brilliant success without the slightest loss or injury, with the exception of one or two slight bruises received by the falling of horses. It is really one of the neatest little affairs of the season, and our entire force award all the praise to the Pennsylvania Eleventh; the only regret of the rest of us being that we were not able to participate in the achievement any further than to be at hand to support, in case our services were needed. Doc. 58. -New-York Tribune. GENERAL HALLECK'S REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ARMIES. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 1862. SIR: In compliance with your orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of military operations since the twenty-third of July last, when, in compliance with the President's order, I assumed the command of the army as General-in-Chief. The first thing to which my attention was called on my arrival here was the condition of the army at Harrison's Landing, on the James River. I immediately visited General McClellan's headquarters for consultation. I left Washington on the twenty-fourth and returned on the twenty-seventh. The main object of this consultation was to ascertain if there was a possibility of an advance upon Richmond from Harrison's Landing, and if not, to favor some plan of uniting the armies of Gen. McClellan and Gen. Pope on some other line. Not being familiar with the position and numbers of the troops in Virginia, and on the coast, I took the President's estimate of the largest number of reënforcements that could be sent to the army of the Potomac. On the day of my arrival at Harrison's Landing Gen. McClellan was of opinion that he would require at least fifty thousand additional troops. I informed him that this number could not possibly be sent, that I was not authorized to promise him over twenty thousand, and that I could not well see how even that number could be safely withdrawn from other places. He took the night for considering the matter, and informed me the next morning that he would make the attempt upon Richmond with the additional twenty thou sand, but immediately on my return to Washington he telegraphed that he would require thirtyfive thousand, a force which it was impossible to send him without leaving Washington and Baltimore almost defenceless. The only alternative now left was to withdraw the army of the Potomac to some position where it could unite with that of Gen. Pope, and cover Washington at the same time that it operated against the enemy. After full consultation with my officers, I determined to attempt this junction on the Rappahannock, by bringing McClellan's forces to Acquia Creek. Accordingly, on the thirtieth July, I telegraphed to him to send away his sick as quickly as possible, preparatory to a movement of his troops. This was preliminary to the withdrawal of his entire army, which was ordered by telegraph on the third of August. In order that the transfer to Acquia Creek might be made as rapidly as possible, I authorized Gen. McClellan to assume control of all the vessels in the James River and Chesapeake Bay, of which there was then a vast fleet. The Quartermaster-General was also requested to send to that point all the transports that could be procured. On the fifth, I received a protest from Gen. McClellan, dated the fourth, against the removal of the army from Harrison's Landing, a copy of which is annexed, marked Exhibit No. 1, with my reply on the sixth, marked Exhibit No. 2. On the first of August I ordered Gen. Burnside to immediately embark his troops at Newport News, transfer them to Acquia Creek, and take position oppo site Fredericksburgh. This officer moved with great promptness, and reached Acquia Creek on the night of the third. His troops were immedi ately landed, and the transports sent back to General McClellan. About this time I received information that the enemy was preparing a large force to drive back Gen. Pope, and attack either Washington or Baltimore. The information was so direct and trustworthy that I could not doubt its correctness. This gave me serious uneasiness for the safety of the capital and Maryland, and I repeatedly urged upon Gen. McClellan the necessity of promptly moving his army so as to form a junction with that of Gen. Pope. The evacuation of Harrison's Landing, however, was not commenced till the fourteenth, eleven days after it was ordered. Greatly discouraged at the prospect of timely aid from that quarter, I authorized Gen. Pope to order the main forces of General Cox, in Western Virginia, with all possible despatch by railroad, to join him via Washington. To facilitate the withdrawal of the army of the Potomac from the Peninsula, and to gain time by a demonstration against the enemy, Gen. Pope pushed his forces across the Rappahannock, occupied Culpeper and threatened Gordonsville. Jackson's and Ewell's forces were hurried to the Rapidan, and on the ninth of August encountered Banks's corps at Cedar Mountain. A hard-fought battle ensued, and on the arrival of reenforcements from the corps of Gens. McDowell and Sigel, the enemy fell back upon the Rapidan and Gordonsville. cut at Kettle Run by a part of Jackson's corps under Ewell, which had marched around Pope's right and attacked his rear. well planned. The corps of McDowell and Sigel, and the Pennsylvania reserves, under Reynolds, were pushed forward to Gainesville; Reno and Kearny were directed upon Greenwich, while Hooker's division was sent against Ewell along the railroad. Unfortunately, however, the movement was too late, as a large detachment of Lee's army was already east of Thoroughfare Gap. Hooker encountered the enemy near Kettle Run, and a sharp engagement ensued. This gallant division drove Ewell a distance of five miles, the enemy leaving their dead, and many of their wounded, on the field. As McDowell, Sigel, and Reynolds had reached their positions, there was now every prospect that Jackson would be destroyed before reënforcements could come to his relief. Finding it doubtful whether we could hold Rappahannock long enough to effect this junction of the two armies, I had directed a part of the Peninsula forces to land at Alexandria, and move out by railroad as rapidly as possible. As soon as I had heard that the enemy had turned Gen. Pope's right flank and forced him to change his front, I ordered the remainder of the army of the On the fifteenth, our cavalry surprised a party Potomac to Alexandria, and directed Gen. Burnof the enemy near Louisa Court-House, and cap- side to prepare to evacuate Fredericksburgh and tured important despatches, showing that Lee Acquia Creek. I determined, however, to hold was moving by forced marches the main body this position as long as possible for a base of fuof the rebel army to attack Pope, before a juncture operations. tion could be formed between him and the army Gen. Pope's dispositions at this juncture were of the Potomac. On the sixteenth, I telegraphed to General Pope not to cross the Rapidan, and advised him to take position in rear of the Rappahannock, where he could be more easily reenforced. He commenced this movement on the seventeenth, and by the morning of the eighteenth had most of his forces behind that river, prepared to hold its passes as long as possible. He had been reenforced by King's division and a part of Burnside's corps, under Gen. Reno, from Fredericksburgh. I also directed Gen. Burnside to occupy Richard's and Barnett's Fords, which were between him and Gen. Pope's main army. The enemy made several attempts to cross at different points on the Rappahannock, but was always repulsed, and our troops succeeded in holding the line of this river for eight days. It was hoped that during this time sufficient forces from the army of the Potomac would reach Acquia Creek to enable us to prevent any further advance of Lee, and eventually, with the combined armies, to drive him back upon Richmond. On the twenty-fourth, he made a flank movement, and crossed a portion of his forces at Waterloo Bridge, about twelve miles above the Rappahannock railroad station. Pope directed an attack upon the forces which had crossed the river, hoping to cut them off, but the enemy escaped with no great loss. The annexed telegram from General Pope, marked Exhibit No. 3, and dated the twenty-fifth, gives his views of the condition of affairs at that date. The enemy, however, had not fallen back, as he supposed, but on being repulsed at Waterloo Bridge, had moved further up the river and entered the valley which lies between the Blue Ridge and Bull Run Mountains. The object of this movement was evidently to get in Pope's rear, and cut off his supplies from Washington. On the evening of the twenty-seventh, General Pope ordered Gen. Porter to be at Bristow's Station by daylight on the morning of the twentyeighth, with Morell's, and also directed him to communicate to Banks the order to move forward to Warrenton Junction. All trains were ordered this side of Cedar Run, and to be protected by a regiment of infantry, and a section of artillery. For some unexplained reasons Porter did not comply with this order, and his corps was not in the battles of the twenty-eighth and twentyninth. Heintzelman's corps pressed forward to Manassas on the morning of the twenty-eighth, and forced Jackson to retreat across Bull Run by the Centreville turnpike. McDowell had succeeded in checking Lee at Thoroughfare Gap, but the latter took the road from Hopeville to Newmarket and hastened to the relief of Jackson, who was already in rapid retreat. A portion of McDowell's corps encountered the retreating column on the afternoon of the twenty-eighth, near WarrenAnticipating this danger, I had telegraphed to ton turnpike, and a severe but successful engageGen. Pope on the twenty-third: "By no means ment ensued. Jackson was again attacked on expose your railroad communication with Alex- the twenty-ninth, near the old battle-ground of andria. It is of the utmost importance in send-July, 1861. Knowing that Longstreet was not ing your supplies and reenforcements." On the distant, he made a most desperate stand. The twenty-sixth I telegraphed: "If possible to at- fight continued nearly all day, and was termitack the enemy in flank do so, but the main ob-nated only by darkness. We had gained conject now is to ascertain his position." From siderable ground, but nothing was decided when this time till the thirtieth I had no communica- the battle closed. It was renewed the next morntion with General Pope, the telegraph-lines being ing, and after another day's hard fighting, our his reach, without regard to departmental lines. The garrisons of Winchester and Martinsburgh had been withdrawn to Harper's Ferry, and the commanding officer of that post had been advised by my chief of staff to mainly confine his defence, in case he was attacked by superior forces, to the position of Maryland Heights, which could have been held a long time against over forces fell back behind Bull Run, the enemy not attempting any pursuit. Two days later, however, he threw a considerable force between Chantilly and Germantown to turn Pope's right. Hooker dislodged them after a short but severe engagement, in which Brig.-Gens. Kearny and Stevens, two of our very best officers, were killed. Pope's army had been reënforced by the corps of Franklin and Sumner, and no further apprehen-whelming numbers. To withdraw him entirely sions were felt for its safety. from that position, with the great body of Lee's During the operations of the previous week, of forces between him and our army, would not which we received very favorable but not trust-only expose the garrison to capture, but all the worthy accounts, every effort was made to push artillery and stores collected at that place must forward supplies and reënforcements to General either be destroyed or left to the enemy. The Pope's army. The troops from the Peninsula only feasible plan was for him to hold his position were ordered not to wait for transportation, but until Gen. McClellan could relieve him, or open a to march immediately to the field of battle. communication so that he could evacuate it in Some of the corps moved with becoming activity, safety. These views were communicated both to but the delays of others were neither creditable General McClellan and to Colonel Miles. nor excusable. Our losses in these battles were The left of Gen. McClellan's army pursued a very heavy, both in life and materials, but as no part of the enemy's forces to the South-Mounofficial reports have been received, except a brief tains, where, on the fourteenth, he made a stand. sketch from Gen. Pope, marked Exhibit No. 4, IA severe battle ensued, the enemy being defeathave no means of ascertaining their extent. Gen. Pope was transferred to another Department before the reports of his subordinates could be received; probably they will soon be handed in. Most of the troops actually engaged in these battles fought with great bravery, but some of them could not be brought into action at all. Many thousands straggled away from their commands, and it is said that not a few voluntarily surrendered to the enemy, so as to be paroled as prisoners of war. In order to reorganize the different corps, get the stragglers back into their ranks, and to supply deficiencies of ammunition, clothing, etc., caused by recent losses, General Pope requested and received directions to bring his army within the defences of Washington, which were then under the command of General McClellan. This movement was executed on the night of the third, without loss. General Pope being now second in command of the united forces, applied to be relieved, and was transferred to another department. Although this short and active campaign was, from causes already referred to, less successful than we had reason to expect, it had accomplished the great and important object of covering the capital till troops could be collected for its defence. Had the army of the Potomac arrived a few days earlier, the rebel army could have been easily defeated and perhaps destroyed. Seeing that an attack upon Washington would now be futile, Lee pushed his main army across the Potomac for a raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Gen. McClellan was directed to pursue him with all troops which were not required for the defence of Washington. Several corps were immediately thrown out in observation at Darnestown and Leesboro, and most of his army was in motion by the fifth of September. A portion entered Frederick on the twelfth. As the campaign was to be carried on within the department commanded by Major-Gen. Wool, I directed Gen. McClellan to assume control of all troops within On ed and driven from his position with heavy loss. On the approach of the enemy to Harper's Ferry, the officer in command on Maryland Heights destroyed his artillery and abandoned his post, and on the fifteenth, Col. Miles surrendered Harper's Ferry, with only a slight resistance, and within hearing of the guns of Gen. McClellan's army. As this whole matter has been investigated and reported upon by a military commission, it is unnecessary for me to discuss the disgraceful surrender of the post and army under Col. Miles's command. General McClellan's preliminary report of his operations in Maryland, including the battles of South-Mountain and Antietam, is submitted herewith, marked Exhibit No. 4. No reports of his subordinate officers have been submitted. From the seventeenth of September till the twenty-sixth of October, McClellan's main army remained on the north bank of the Potomac, in the vicinity of Sharpsburgh and Harper's Ferry. The long inactivity of so large an army in the face of a defeated foe, and during the most favor- the States of Alabama and Georgia, reached able season for rapid movements and a vigorous Chattanooga in advance of Gen. Buell, turned his campaign, was a matter of great disappointment left, and, rapidly crossing the State of Tennessee, and regret. Your letter of the twenty-seventh, entered Kentucky by Munfordsville and Lebanon. and my reply on the twenty-eighth of October, Gen. Buell fell back upon Nashville, without in regard to the alleged causes of this unfortun-giving the enemy battle-then followed, or rather ate delay, I submit herewith, marked Exhibit No. moved parallel with Bragg, who, after capturing 5. In reply to the telegraphic order of the sixth our garrison at Munfordsville, turned off from the of October, quoted in my letter of the twenty- main road to Louisville, along which Gen. Buell eighth, above referred to, Gen. McClellan disap-passed-the latter reaching Louisville without proved of the plan of crossing the Potomac south any engagement. Another column of the enemy of the Blue Ridge, and said that he would cross had moved from East-Tennessee, after blockading at Harper's Ferry and advance upon Winchester. Cumberland Gap, upon Lexington, and threatenHe, however, did not begin to cross till the ed Cincinnati. A small force of our raw troops, twenty-sixth of October, and then at Berlin. which had been pushed forward to Richmond, This passage occupied several days, and was Ky., under Major-General Nelson, were met by completed about the third of November. What the enemy and completely routed. In the mean caused him to change his views, or what his plan time, every effort had been made to collect new of campaign was, I am ignorant; for about this troops at Cincinnati and Louisville, and to fortify time he ceased to communicate with me in regard these places against a coup de main. to his operations, sending his reports directly to the President. On the fifth instant, I received the written order of the President relieving Gen. McClellan, and placing Gen. Burnside in command of the army of the Potomac. This order was transmitted by a special messenger, who delivered it to Gen. McClellan at Rectortown on the seventh. To give confidence to the new levies, a portion of Gen. Grant's army was withdrawn from Mississippi and sent to Kentucky and Cincinnati. No attack was attempted by the enemy. Major-Gen. Buell left Louisville on the first of October, with an army of about one hundred thousand men in pursuit of General Bragg. The latter engaged a part of Gen. Buell's army at Perryville, about ten o'clock on the eighth of October. A general battle ensued, and was continued till dark; it was mainly fought by MajorGen. McCook's corps; the enemy retreated during the night; the losses were heavy on both sides, but no official reports of the numbers engaged or the losses on either side have been received. After this battle, the main army of the Rebels retreated to East-Tennessee; Gen. Buell pursued it as far as Mount Vernon or London, then fell back to the line from Louisville to Nashville. Here Major-General Rosecrans superseded him in the command by the orders of the President. As the Secretary of War has ordered a military commission to investigate the operations of Gen. Buell in this campaign, it would be obviously improper for me to express any opinion, unless specially directed to do so. When I left the department of the Mississippi | in July last, the main body of the army under Major-Gen. Buell was between Huntsville and Stevenson, moving toward Chattanooga, for which place they had left Corinth about the tenth of June. Major-Gen. Curtis's forces were at Helena, Arkansas, and those under Brig.-Gen. Schofield in South-western Missouri. The central army, under Major-Gen. Grant, occupying the line of West-Tennessee and Northern Mississippi, extended from Memphis to Iuka, and protected the railroads from Columbus south, which were then our only channels of supply. These several armies spread along a line of some six hundred miles from the western borders of Arkansas to Cumberland Gap, and occupying a strip of country more than one hundred and fifty miles in width, from which the enemy's forces had recently been expelled, were rapidly decreasing in strength from the large numbers of soldiers sent home on account of real or pretended disability. On the other hand, the enemy's armies were greatly increased by an arbitrary and rigidly enforced conscription. With their superiority in numbers and discipline they boldly determined to reoccupy Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, and, if possible, to invade the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, while our attention The withdrawal of a considerable part of Gen. was distracted by the invasion of Maryland and Grant's army to reenforce Gen. Buell and to ocPennsylvania, and an extended Indian insurrec-cupy Zanesville and Cincinnati, induced the enetion on the Western frontiers. This plan had my to renew operations in Northern Mississippi very many chances of success; but the timely and Western Tennessee. order of the President of August fourth, calling A force of some five thousand or six thousand for additional forces, and the patriotic response of the people of the North-West, thwarted the enemy's well-formed calculations. Gen. Bragg suddenly transferred a large part of his army from Tupelo, Mississippi, through The command of Brig.-Gen. Morgan at Cumberland Gap abandoned that place and retreated to the Ohio River. The alleged cause of this retreat was the want of supplies. The commanding officer, however, had just before reported that he had several weeks' provisions, and under no circumstances would he surrender that important post. An investigation of this matter has been ordered. men was sent to attack Bolivar and Jackson, Tennessee, and by destroying the railroad to cut off all connection between Memphis and Corinth. The head of the enemy's column was met about four miles south of Bolivar on the thirtieth of |