I am be small-arms, &c.* Brigadier-General Roddey is still on the flank and rear of the enemy between this point and Big Bear Creek. coming short of ammunition; have sent for a supply at Okolona. My command is not in a condition to remain long from Mississippi, having left prepared only for a two weeks' scout against the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, when their destination was changed in this direction. They are much in need of clothing, shoes, &c. I will, however, remain as long as I can be of service, or until I receive orders from General Johnston. If I am to remain in this department, I should be informed as early as practicable, though I am of opinion that a large cavalry force will not be needed in this valley very long. I am, colonel, yours, respectfully, STEPHEN D. LEE, Major-General. Lieut. Col. GEORGE WILLIAM BRENT, HEADQUARTERS, Tuscumbia, Ala., October 31, 1863. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that on the 26th instant the enemy advanced in force, and after severe skirmishing on the 26th and 27th occupied Tuscumbia. On 28th, the enemy evacuated Tuscumbia and moved back toward Big Bear Creek. I attacked his rear guard 15 miles west of Tuscumbia on the morning of the 29th, and after a severe skirmish retired before his main force. The enemy's force consisted of two divisions of infantry, under Osterhaus and Morgan L. Smith, the whole commanded by General Blair, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps. The force of the enemy was about 8,000. They rebuilt the bridge over Big Bear Creek and run the cars to Cherokee Station, 8 miles east of that point. The thorough destruction of the railroad and the stubborn resistance made to their advance have deterred them from this route, and they are now crossing at Eastport and moving on the north side of the Tennessee River. They intended rebuilding this road to Decatur. The enemy acknowledge a loss of 100 killed and wounded on the 22d [21st] instant. Their loss has been heavier since.. My loss so far is 6 killed and 40 wounded. On the night of the 25th, I sent Brigadier-General Ferguson with two regiments after a raiding party from Corinth. He succeeded in meeting the enemy, routing him and scattering his entire force over the county, capturing 2 pieces of artillery, 4 guidons, 30 prisoners, a considerable quantity of small-arms, &c. Prisoners are still being caught over the country. The raiders were mostly composed of the Tory regiment from North Alabama. My scouts captured a valuable medical wagon attached to Osterhaus' headquarters, full of medicines, &c. The enemy are marching through Florence, and I think toward Huntsville. There is little doubt that the enemy intend another flank movement on General Bragg via Will's Valley. There is lit *See Skirmish at Vincent's Cross-Roads, October 26, 1863, p. 37. tle further use for cavalry in this valley, and, unless I receive orders to the contrary, will leave for Mississippi in about a week. My horses need shoes and resting. Am having my command filled up as rapidly as possible. It would not be prudent for me to cross the Tennessee now with my present force and the dispositions of the enemy. Their main cavalry force from what I can learn is in the vicinity of Huntsville, and at last accounts the cars were running from Stevenson to Paint Rock, and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad was strongly guarded by troops from Meade's army. I am, colonel, yours, respectfully, Col. B. S. EWELL, STEPHEN D. LEE, Major-General. Assistant Adjutant-General, Meridian, Miss. OCTOBER 22, 1863. Skirmish near Volney, Ky. Report of Col. Cicero Maxwell, Twenty-sixth Kentucky Infantry, commanding District of Southwestern Kentucky. HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, SOUTHWESTERN KENTUCKY, Bowling Green, Ky., October 24, 1863. CAPTAIN: On Thursday morning last I received information ar Russellville, where I was, on my way to Hopkinsville, that 45 or 50 guerrillas were a few miles south of that place, robbing loyal people. I started immediately with a small squad of the Third Kentucky Cavalry, sent to accompany me to Hopkinsville, and some mounted men of the Twenty-sixth Kentucky Volunteers and Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers, numbering in all about 40, in search of the guerrillas. Shortly after leaving Russellville, we learned that they had gone to Gordonsville, a small village west of Russellville 6 miles, early in the morning, robbed several stores, shot and badly wounded an old citizen named Criswell, and had started back with their booty toward Tennessee by the same route they had come. We soon got on their track, and came up with them a short distance southeast of Volney, in Logan County. Our men fired on them, but without waiting to return the fire, the guerrillas fled in great disorder, throwing away their booty, guns, &c., and many of them leaving their horses and escaping into the woods. We pursued them for 30 miles without stopping, our men overtaking and firing on them occasionally, until just below Mitchellsville, in Tennessee, all that then remained together scattered into the woods and eluded farther pursuit. They were completely routed and dispersed, several being killed and wounded. Our men also captured several prisoners, a number of horses, guns, pistols, &c. In their flight the thieves threw away their ill-gotten booty, and the road for miles was strewn with boots, shoes, hats, and various other articles of merchandise. They were under the command of one Captain Dyer. One of our men, Jack Anderson, Twenty-sixth Kentucky, who behaved with great gallantry and bravery, was pretty severely wounded, but I hope not dangerously. Our men all behaved very well. Lieutenant Poindexter and [Corpl.] Thomas R. Blakey, formerly of the Eighth Kentucky Cavalry, though out of service, volunteered, and acted with great gallantry. I would respectfully commend Lieut. J. Redfearn, Twenty-sixth Kentucky, especially, for his reckless daring and bravery. He was in command of the squad of the Twenty-sixth Kentucky, and for many miles led the pursuit, frequently with 1 or 2 men only charging upon a dozen of the flying enemy. They, however, scarcely ever returned the fire of our men, relying on the fleetness of their horses for safety, and seemed to be intent only on getting away. I went from Mitchellsville to Franklin on Thursday evening, and returned here yesterday. Very respectfully, CICERO MAXWELL, Colonel 26th Ky. Vols., Comdg. U. S. Forces, S. W. Ky. Capt. A. C. SEMPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General. P. S.-I sincerely regret to say that one of our men got into a difficulty with a citizen named Dinning, near the State line, and unfortunately killed him. The men had been instructed to seize horses when theirs gave out. We were in hot pursuit of the robbers, and the horse of one of our men gave out. He undertook to seize Dinning's horse. Dinning resisted and, the soldier says, drew a knife, and he shot and killed him. Dinning was a sympathizer with the rebellion, but I understand, generally, a harmless man. I will have the matter investigated. In our pursuit of the guerrillas, I was more than ever convinced of the utter malignity and treachery of the sympathizers with treason in the southern part of Logan County. Some severe measures, in my humble judgment, will have to be adopted with them before the daily and nightly robberies of their friends can be stopped. OCTOBER 22, 1863.-Destruction of the Steamer Mist on the Mississippi River. Report of Brig. Gen. Napoleon B. Buford, U. S. Army, commanding District of Eastern Arkansas. HDQRS. DISTRICT OF EASTERN ARKANSAS, Helena, Ark., October 23, 1863. SIR: For the information of General Hurlbut, I report the steamer Mist, Captain Calhoun, was burned by a party of 20 guerrillas, commanded by Dick Holland, at the foot of Ship Island, on the Mississippi shore, yesterday at 3 p. m., the captain robbed of a large sum, which he states to have been over $17,000, and the boat rifled. The captain and crew of 10 men were allowed to go free. Captain Calhoun reports his engine was out of order. He was anchored in the stream; took a skiff and went ashore to get four bales of cotton; the boat was blown ashore. The cotton he said had been purchased from a man named Cole, by McDonald, who had a permit to ship 50 bales. Captain Calhoun states his pilot, E. Wood, was also robbed of $5,000 of Confederate money, which was in the safe with the boat's funds. The guerrillas did not burn Cole's cotton. The captain further states that the steamer Evansville landed at the same place the day pre 1 vious, and took on board about 20 bales of cotton without the protection of a gunboat. There are inconsistencies in this story which are apparent. I am informed by Col. Silas Noble, who is here, that when he commanded at Paducah, Captain Calhoun was disloyal. Your obedient servant, Capt. T. H. HARRIS, N. B. BUFORD, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Assistant Adjutant-General. OCTOBER 22-24, 1863.-Scout from Germantown, Tenn., to Chulahoma, Miss. Report of Lieut. Col. Reuben Loomis, Sixth Illinois Cavalry. Germantown, Tenn., October 24, 1863. COLONEL: In compliance with your instructions, I started on the 22d with the effective force of my command and a part of Smith's battery, south, crossed the Coldwater at Quinn's Mill, took the road to Chulahoma, met teams going to Memphis with cotton from beyond and south of Holly Springs; learned that some 25 of Richardson's command had passed through there going north on Tuesday. They report Chalmers at or near Water Valley; no rebel force this side of Oxford; contrabands report about the same. Before I got to Chulahoma Í met Maj. S. Forbes, of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, with 50 men. He had been within 4 or 5 miles of Wyatt; found no force except scouts. I scouted the country thoroughly in that vicinity. From all that I can learn, there is about a battalion scattered through the country in small squads this side of Tallahatchie. We charged through Byhalia and run out 8 rebels, but they were too well mounted to be caught; that was the greatest number I saw together. The weather being inclement, the men's clothing, and in many cases ammunition, being thoroughly soaked with the rain of the night of the 22d and forenoon of the 23d, and no force of the enemy to be found this side of the Tallahatchie, I returned to camp. Hoping what I have done may meet your approbation, I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. LOOMIS, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Sixth Illinois Cavalry. Col. EDWARD HATCH, Commanding Cavalry Division. OCTOBER 24-NOVEMBER 10, 1863.-Expedition from Goodrich's Landing, Report of Lieut. Col. George E. Currie, Mississippi Marine Bri gade. ON BOARD STEAMER B. J. ADAMS. Napoleon, Ark., November 19, 1863. GENERAL: Agreeably to your written instructions of the 23d ultimo, I left Goodrich's Landing, La., on the 24th ultimo, after be 3 R R-VOL XXXI, PT I ing relieved from duty at that place by General Hawkins, and proceeded up the Mississippi River with four steamers, viz, Adams, Fairchild, Baltic, and Horner. A detachment of 125 cavalry, 160 infantry, and one section of Captain Walling's light battery arrived at Griffin's Landing, in Washington County, Miss., on the 26th ultimo. On the 27th, I ordered Captain Brown with 100 cavalry to make a reconnaissance in the Deer Creek country, lying about 23 miles east of Griffin's Landing. The expedition left the boats at 6 a. m. and returned at 10 p. m., having marched over 45 miles in one day. They arrested and brought in I captain, G. C. Price, an agent of the Commissary Department for the purchase of stock in that country, with about $12,000 in Confederate money; also 1 sergeant and 6 enlisted men belonging to the Sixth Texas Cavalry, detailed to drive stock. From the prisoners I learned that a brigade of Jackson's cavalry was en route for that country to protect the stock drivers. Having but a small command mounted, I immediately impressed mules and horses to mount my infantry for the purpose of meeting the rebel brigade, and accordingly on the 1st day of November I landed all my available force, numbering about 200 cavalry and infantry, mounted, one piece of artillery, and two days' rations, and started at an early hour. About the time of starting the rain began to fall, which rendered the roads through the swamps almost impassable. At 3 p. m., however, I reached the plantation of Mrs. Buckner, on Deer Creek, where I was compelled to go into camp on account of the impassable condition of the roads for artillery, and having made a march of 23 miles, I posted my pickets and put the artillery into position, and made inquiry of the citizens concerning the rebel force, but was assured by them that there was none in that country. Relying somewhat upon their information, and finding it out of my power to go farther with artillery, I resolved at once to send it back, guarded by the mounted infantry, leaving me a command of only 125 cavalry. On the following morning, at 5.30 o'clock, I divided my force, one half returning, by way of Greenville, to Griffin's Landing, and with the cavalry I proceeded down the creek, intending to reach the river at Carolina Landing, a distance of 60 miles, where I had previously ordered the ram Horner to meet me on the 4th. We had gone but about 1 mile beyond my picket post, when the advance guard began skirmishing with rebel pickets. Here ensued a running fight for some miles until we came upon a portion of the enemy, supposed to be about 120 or 140 men, drawn up in line on the opposite side of the creek to prevent my command crossing on a bridge at that point, the only means of crossing in that vicinity. I instructed the advance to press them closely, intending to hold the enemy in position until the arrival of the artillery, which I ordered up immediately after encountering their pickets, but finding the enemy intended to fall back before the artillery could reach me, I directed a portion of the dismounted men to deploy and charge across the bridge at a double-quick, in order to clear the way for cavalry. The rebels gave way almost without resistance, and fled in great confusion, my cavalry close upon them. We followed them some 2 miles at a rapid rate, and, finding no other alternative, they took to the woods and canebrakes. By this time the artillery came up, and, after shelling the woods thoroughly, I started on my return |