the division and train crossed at 20 minutes before 5 o'clock. Camped on Sycamore Creek, 14 miles. Distance of day's march, 9 miles.

March 4, marched at daylight, and reached camp at 12.30 p. m., camping north of Fort Hill, near Vicksburg. Distance of day's march, 16 miles. [J. C. VEATCH, Brigadier-Generals]

[Inclosure No. 1.]

Casualties of Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, Department of the Ten

Number of miles of railroad destroyed by the troops of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps.

February 16, 17, and 18, destroyed 6 miles of railroad on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, from Meridian to Marion Station, tearing up the entire track, burning the ties. The iron placed on top of the burning ties was rendered useless.

February 19, the Second Brigade, under command of Col. James H. Howe, marched to Lockhart's Station, 7 miles north of Marion Station, destroying the Lockhart's Station depot building, burning all bridges and culverts, and tearing up the tracks in several important cuts. The entire amount of track torn up and destroyed between Lockhart's and Marion, estimated at 3 miles, making in all 9 miles of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad entirely destroyed by the troops of this command..

No. 11.

Report of Col. Milton Montgomery, Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of expedition to Meridian.

HDQRS. 1ST BRIG., 4TH DIV., SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

Near Vicksburg, Miss., March 5, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report that the First Brigade, Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, was organized at Clear Creek, Miss., by virtue of special orders from headquarters Fourth Division, Six

teenth Army Corps, dated February 3, 1864. It was composed of the following regiments, viz: Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, Thirty-fifth New Jersey Volunteers, and Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers.

On the morning of the 7th of February, the Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers was detached and ordered back as an escort for the pontoon train. The brigade accompanied the expedition to Meridian and Marion, and thence, via Union, Hillsborough, and Canton, returned to Vicksburg, which they reached at 1 p. m. of the 4th instant. They were at no time engaged with the enemy, but on the 12th of February the rear of the brigade, when near Decatur, was fired into, no harm being done. A short time after one regiment (the Twentyfifth Wisconsin Volunteers) was sent back about 1 mile, and formed line and threw out a company of skirmishers to protect the train, which had been attacked while crossing Turkey Creek, on the outskirts of Decatur.

On the afternoon of the 16th, the brigade moved up from Meridian to Marion, a distance of at least 5 miles, in 1 hour and 10 minutes, to support Colonel Howe, who was engaged with the enemy, but arrived after all was quiet.

On the 25th, the brigade, being then in the extreme rear, was fired into several times by guerrillas about 5 miles east of Pearl River. Starting from Canton March 1, 1864, when we had advanced about 7 miles the Thirty-fifth New Jersey Volunteers were thrown out to support the Thirty-second Wisconsin Volunteers, which had formed a skirmish line for the purpose of protecting our train. Hereto is annexed a list of casualties.*

All of which is respectfully submitted.

M. MONTGOMERY,

Colonel 25th Wisconsin Vols., Comdg. Brigade.

Capt. F. W. Fox,

Asst. Adjt. Gen., 4th Div., 16th Army Corps.

No. 12.

Report of Lieut. Col. Jeremiah M. Rusk, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry, of expedition to Meridian.

HDQRS. TWENTY-FIFTH WISCONSIN INFANTRY VOLS.,

Near Vicksburg, Miss., March 4, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to forward to you the following concise report of our regiment on the late expedition to Meridian, Miss., in which we took part:

On the 1st of February last the regiment embarked on board the steamer H. Choteau, with orders to report at Vicksburg, Miss., where we arrived at 8 p. m. on the 2d. Here we were ordered to store all surplus property pertaining to the regiment, taking nothing with us but what could be carried by officers and men.

February 3, the troops belonging to the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, to which we were assigned, under command of * Embodied in revised statement, p. 191.

General Veatch, consisting of six regiments, were organized in two brigades, Col. M. Montgomery taking command of the First Brigade, and Colonel Howe, of the Thirty-second Wisconsin, taking command of the Second Brigade, since which time I have been in command of the regiment.

We proceeded in line of march for parts then unknown, crossed Big Black River on pontoons, and reached Jackson on the 7th ; passed through Brandon, Hillsborough, Decatur, Little Chunky, and other places of less note, and reached Meridian, Miss., on the 14th and camped near the railroad.

Here we remained until the 16th, when we received orders to move to Marion, 5 miles distant, to support the Second Brigade, who were there fighting. On our arrival fighting had ceased, and the enemy routed. Here we remained till the 20th, tearing up railroad, destroying bridges, culverts, &c., and doing picket duty, grinding corn, foraging, capturing horses and mules.

Having fulfilled entirely and well the object of the expedition, we were ordered to return to the Mississippi River to embark in an equally important movement by the way of Union, Hillsborough, and Canton, where we encamped on the 26th, and where we remained till March 1, during which time we foraged and were on picket duty.

We then proceeded to Vicksburg by way of Livingston, Brownsville, crossed Big Black River, reaching Vicksburg the 4th of March. The whole distance marched with expedition was near 400 miles in thirty-one days. During most of the time we were on half rations, but foraged for the other half, and did not suffer much except for the want of bread.

During this hazardous expedition in entering the heart of the enemy's country we have been peculiarly fortunate as a regiment, having lost not a man by straggling or neglect when men have fallen out of line through fatigue, while other regiments have lost men, as their reports will show, I believe from these causes. Our means of transportation were very limited, restricted to 2 army wagons and 2 ambulances, and reserved for forage and ammunition. Many thanks are due the officers for their vigilance all along the route, and the men generally appreciated the care and efforts made in their behalf and obeyed the orders to the letter, published from time to time to the regiment.

From the time we crossed Big Black River until we recrossed it was one continued skirmish, the rebels watching for opportunities to harass us, laying heavy timber in impassable places, burning bridges, &c.

On the 12th of February, our regiment and train were fired into from the woods while passing, but no damage done. We halted and formed line of battle, sent out skirmishers to scour the woods, but the rebels had fled.

The casualties incident to our regiment since we left Helena, Ark., on the 1st Feburary, are as follows: Private James Lick, Company C, while watering ambulance horses on board the H. Choteau, accidentally fell overboard and was lost in the Mississippi River on the 2d of February. Private George W. Louthain, Company I, shot by accidental discharge of his gun while falling in company for line of march at Little Chunky Creek, Mississippi, on the 13th of Feburary. Private John W. Bayse, Company B, died of typhoid fever at Decatur, Miss., on the 21st of February. At the time of his death was

with division teams. The above 3 men were universally respected in their companies, and by all in the regiment who knew them. The service has lost in these men energetic, prompt, and good soldiers. Respectfully submitted. J. M. RUSK,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding the Regiment.

His Excellency JAMES T. LEWIS,

Governor State of Wisconsin.

No. 13.

Itinerary of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, Col. James H. Howe, Thirty-second Wisconsin Infantry, commanding, February 3-March 31.*

*

February 3, this brigade was organized and composed of the Thirty-second Wisconsin, Twenty-fifth Indiana, Seventeenth New York Veteran Volunteers, and Battery D, Second Illinois Light Artillery.

February 4, marched toward Jackson, Miss.

February 7, arrived at Jackson. Occupied the place as rearguard of the Sixteenth Army Corps until army all passed; then destroyed the enemy's pontoon bridge, over which the army had crossed, and by a night march overtook the main body on the Sth. February 8, marched through Brandon, Morton, and Hillsborough to Decatur.

February 12, had just passed through Decatur when the enemy's cavalry attacked train of Smith's division; were handsomely repulsed by the Twenty-fifth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Rheinlander, without loss.

February 14, marched into Meridian, Miss.

February 15, marched up the Mobile and Ohio Railroad toward Marion, entirely destroying the road as we moved up. The advance guard, three companies of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, under Lieutenant-Colonel Rheinlander, was fired upon by the enemy's cavalry from the town of Marion in some force. Two companies of the Twenty-fifth Indiana and three companies of the Thirty-second Wisconsin, with battery, were ordered up. The enemy were driven out of town rapidly, with loss of 4 killed and a number wounded, and the town was occupied. Remained in Marion until the 19th, when the Thirty-second Wisconsin and Twenty-fifth Indiana, under command of Colonel Howe, marched 2 miles beyond Lockhart's Station, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, destroying all bridges and culverts, the station building, lumber, and the large hospital buildings of the enemy; returned at night.

February 20, marched toward Vicksburg; passed through Union and Hillsborough.

February 26, arrived at Canton; remained in camp at that place until March 1.

March 1, brigade broke camp.

March 3, crossed the Big Black River.

*From monthly returns.

March 4, arrived in Vicksburg and remained in camp until the 9th, between which time and the 14th the brigade was moved by regiments and detachments on transports to Memphis, Tenn. Went into camp at Hopefield, Ark.; remained until the 17th, between which time and the 22d the brigade was moved by regiments on transports to Cairo, Ill.

March 22, the brigade moved on transports to Columbus, Ky., and took railroad to Moscow, Ky., to repel an expected attack from General Forrest; found him gone, and returned to Columbus same night.

March 23, returned to Cairo.

March 25, at night, the Thirty-second Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, under command of Col. James H. Howe, embarked on transports and proceeded to Paducah, Ky., to repel an attack made on that place by General Forrest.

March 26, arrived at Paducah early in the morning. Forrest had left when the regiment arrived. The balance of the brigade took transports in the afternoon and proceeded up the Ohio River; were joined by the Thirty-second Wisconsin, and the whole brigade proceeded up the Tennessee River, under orders to join the command of General Dodge at Athens, Ala.

March 29, arrived at Athens in the afternoon.

March 30, moved to Purdy to intercept General Forrest in his anticipated return through that place.

March 31, in the afternoon marched back to Athens and embarked on transports.

No. 14.

Reports of Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson, U. S. Army, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, of expedition to Meridian and operations on Yazoo River, with itinerary of the corps, February 3-March 18.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

Vicksburg, Miss., March 8, 1864. GENERAL: I have the satisfaction of reporting to you that Colonel Coates, in command of our forces, repulsed the enemy (two brigades, Ross' and Richardson's) at Yazoo City, on Saturday, the 5th instant, after a desperate conflict, which lasted from 10 a. m. till 4 p. m. The battle, part of the time, was a regular hand-to-hand fight through the streets.

Colonel Coates' loss was 19 killed, 89 wounded, and 18 missing. The enemy's loss was much greater, and among his killed was a major and a lieutenant belonging to Richardson's command.

Colonel Coates held possession of Yazoo City all day Sunday, and embarked his command Sunday evening and is on his way down. I am expecting him here to-day, when I will write you a full report. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. B. MCPHERSON, Major-General.

Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN.