Fifteenth Corps destroyed the Atlanta Railroad from below Greysville
back to the State line. On the 18th, Sherman was ordered to make a
reconnoissance to the Hiawassee with his own corps, together with
Davis's and Howard's troops of Thomas's command. On reaching
Charleston, Sherman received orders to take command of Granger's
column, moving to Burnside's relief, and to press forward with all
the troops under him in all haste to Knoxville, eighty-four miles
distant. Advancing rapidly with his command, Sherman reached
Knoxville on the 6th. Longstreet, however, retreated on the 4th of
December to Virginia. Leaving Granger's corps to aid in the pursuit
of Longstreet, Sherman by easy marches returned to Chattanooga on
the 16th of the month, where he ordered Howard and Davis to report
with their commands, while he marched west with his own corps to
Northern Alabama and placed them in winter quarters.

Sherman with his two days' fighting reports the losses of his
command, including Howard's command, but not that of Davis, whose
loss he says was small, at 295 killed, 1,402 wounded, and 292
missing--making a total of 1,989. This, however, includes the losses
in his first division--Osterhaus's, which fought under Hooker on
the right--of 87 killed, 344 wounded, and 66 missing, making 497
to be deducted, which leaves Sherman's loss proper, 208 killed,
1,058 wounded, and 226 missing--a total of 1,492. Thomas's loss
in the part taken by his troops, also including Howard's command
and not including Davis's division, was 529 killed, 2,281 wounded,
and 141 missing--an aggregate of 3,951. The large bulk of the
losses under Thomas were in Sheridan's and Wood's divisions. That
of the former was 135 killed, 1,151 wounded, missing, none--aggregate
1,256; that of the latter, 150 killed, 851 wounded, missing,
none--aggregate 1,001. These two divisions in their one hour's