Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 15. — Report of Capt. William H. Jamison, Twenty-first Illinois Infantry, of operations December 15-31, 1864.

No. 15.

Report of Capt. William H. Jamison, Twenty-first Illinois Infantry,

of operations December 15-31, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIRST ILLINOIS,

January 1, 1865.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 14th of December, 1864, while lying in camp at Nashville, Tenn., on the right of Granny White pike, I received an order from Col. I. M. Kirby, commanding First Brigade, First Division, Fourth Army Corps, to be ready to move at daylight on the morning of the 15th. In accordance with said order we moved to the right to the Hardin pike, then filed to the left until we passed outside the defenses, when we were formed in rear line of brigade, on right of Hardin pike—the Thirty-eighth Illinois was on my right, the Thirty-first Indiana on my left, and the Eighty-first Indiana in my immediate front. After being formed we lay on our arms for some time, when we were moved forward to the crest of a small hill which was in our front. We lay here for near an hour, then moved to the base of the hill, and were halted in rear of a stone wall. After laying here about thirty minutes we were moved forward into a corn-field, our left resting on the Hardin pike. We lay in this position for some time, when we moved to the front about half a mile, and halted in rear of the crest of a hill near the enemy's works; here we lay about an hour, there being considerable firing from the works. About this time our front line began moving forward, and Brigadier-General Wood, commanding Fourth Army Corps, rode up and ordered us forward quickly; we advanced as rapidly as the nature of the ground (which was an open field and very muddy) would permit. The enemy about this time opened a very hot fire from his works, which were situated on the crest of a hill in our front. On arriving at the base of this hill I found a large number of men lying down. I supposed them to be the Eighty-first Indiana, who were in our front; but finding it impossible to halt at this point, I passed over them and pushed on for the works, and although we started in rear line, our color was the second on the works. That night we were sent on picket duty, and on the 16th we were again formed in rear line of brigade, and moved to the front and left, until we came near the Franklin pike, when we halted and threw up some light works. We were then moved farther to the left and halted, remaining there until the enemy's line was broken, when we started in pursuit, and moved forward until dark, when we halted. Since that time we have been with the brigade in pursuit of the enemy.

My loss during the campaign is—killed, none; wounded, 1 commissioned officer and 6 enlisted men, among whom was my color-sergeant; total, wounded, 7.

To the officers and men of this command I return my sincere thanks for their gallantry and promptness in doing their duty. It would be useless in me to designate any officer or man as doing more than another, as all did their duty truly and well.

I am, lieutenant, yours,

W. H. JAMISON,        

Captain, Commanding Twenty-first Illinois.

Lieutenant FELTON,
        Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

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), pp. 186-7