Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 184. Report of Capt. Milton A. Osborne, Twentieth Battery Indiana Light Artillery, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 184.

Report of Capt. Milton A. Osborne, Twentieth Battery Indiana Light Artillery,

of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH INDIANA BATTERY,                       

Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 20, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Twentieth Indiana Battery in the engagement near Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of December, 1864:

The battery was engaged from 8 a.m. of the 15th instant throughout the day, both sections having taken position early in the day within 500 yards of the enemy's main line of works, the right section operating with Colonel Morgan's U.S. Colored Brigade, and the left section with Colonel Thompson's U.S. Colored Brigade. The right section changed its position at 10 a.m., and took a position in the open field within 300 yards of the enemy's works, and held the position until the infantry—Colonel Morgan's and Colonel Grosvenor's brigades—had passed to the rear and reformed, in the meantime keeping up a continual fire, which enabled the infantry the more successfully to be withdrawn. This section then retired and took a position northeast of the Rains house, immediately behind the skirmish line of Colonel Morgan's brigade, where the section remained, keeping up a continual fire until night.

Early on the morning of the 16th the two sections of the battery were brought together and moved, with Colonel Morgan's brigade, across the Nolensville pike, to a position on the left of Colonel Thompson's brigade, which was then on the left of the Fourth Corps, shelling the woods as the column advanced, where the battery participated in the general engagement which then took place, and from this position, on the extreme left of the line, kept a constant and terribly effective fire on the enemy's artillery, in position on the Overton Hill, during the charges which were made by the infantry. The enemy's artillery being silenced and captured, and our infantry having possession of the work, at about 5 p.m., I moved the battery in the general pursuit with Colonel Morgan's brigade.

The casualties on the 15th instant were as follows.*

Five horses were killed—3 by musketry, 2 by shell; 9 horses were wounded—2 by shell, 7 by musketry.

The following ammunition was expended:

	Shot.	Shell.	Spherical case.	Total.
First day	272	176	176	624
Second day	160	230	290	580
Total	432	406	466	1,204

No casualties on the 16th instant.

I take pleasure in reporting the good conduct of officers and men of the command throughout the engagement.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MILTON A. OSBORNE,     

Captain Twentieth Indiana Battery, Commanding.

Maj. S. B. MOE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Etowah.

_______________

* Nominal list (omitted) shows 2 officers and 6 men wounded.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 531-2