her appearance for sometime of my hour fixed for starting, about noon I left Satartia and proceeded up the river, and was fully prepared and expected to meet with an engagement at Liverpool, but was surprised not to find any of the enemy at that point. Arriving at Goosey's Mill, 4 miles below Yazoo City, I signaled the boats to proceed up the river, preceded by two of the gun-boats, the two gun-boats passing the city and the transports landing within a mile of the city. In the mean time, when at Goosey's Mill, I dispatched a small but effective force of the First Mississippi Cavalry, African descent, Major Cook commanding, and ordered them to proceed up the west bank of the river until opposite the city. Arriving at a point opposite the city, he encountered a small force of the enemy, and after a slight skirmish succeeded in capturing 2 men and 4 horses. The enemy have moved south on the Bolton road and toward the Vicksburg and Jackson road. Respectfully, JAS. H. COATES, Commanding Yazoo River Expedition. Lieut. Col. W. T. CLARK, HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Yazoo City, Miss., March 2, 1864. GENERAL: I had the honor of communicating with you 28th ultimo, since which time I have been in the occupation of this city; not, however, without some little difficulty, as I am almost constantly engaged in skirmishing with the enemy. He comes up and drives my pickets in. I then run him off completely. This occurs two or three times per day. It keeps us watchful, but I am under no apprehension at all, for I can hold this place, without a doubt, against five times my numbers. The defenses are strong, and the approaches to them difficult. I was pleased to-day at receiving a communication from Colonel Crandal, dated at Satartia, and saying he was moving for Liverpool. This is just what is wanted if we are to hold this point. I have information that a portion of the force (rebel) here has gone to Liverpool, as I supposed they would. The force opposing me is Ross' brigade of about 1,400 men, and are encamped at 2 miles beyond Benton, 12 miles from here. They will be re-enforced, I am reliably informed, by Jackson's command, some 5,000 men, but whether for an attack upon me or not I am not prepared to say. I have this intelligence from an employé of mine, who has been with them for two days and returned to-day. Since hearing from Colonel Crandal I have concluded to send the fleet forward all except the Sir William Wallace, which I desire to keep here for foraging and other purposes for the benefit of the Government. The cotton I wrote you as being claimed by Forsyth I have given permission to ship to you and have you decide the legality of the purchase. I have my tents pitched, camps established, and everything looks cheering, with enough fighting to create a healthy circulation of the blood. Colonel Osband goes forward for his camp equipage, arms, &c., and will return in a few days. He has been eminently successful in recruiting, having his regiment nearly full and a mule or a horse for every recruit. Accompanying please find manifest of cargoes of boats and a statement of that which is on the gun-boats, but the latter of which I am not personally accountable for, as they claim to be a separate institution, and though it was difficult to convince me of the fact, yet, as advised by General Sherman, I did not dispute the point of rank. Respectfully, JAS. H. COATES, Colonel Eleventh Illinois Infantry, Comdg. Expedition. Brigadier-General MCARTHUR, Commanding Post and Defenses, Vicksburg, Miss. [Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Yazoo City, Miss., March 2, 1864. GENERAL: I have the nonor to transmit herewith a report of all the cotton taken on expedition up Yazoo River. There may perhaps be a few more bales on transports than is reported; if so, it is Government cotton and taken from abandoned places. The amount reported includes lot of 190 bales shipped on steamer Emma Boyd, and been reported. I also send report of cotton bought by private parties as per permit from Treasury Department, and shipped on steamers Hastings and Mattie Cook. The following is a statement of amounts on Government boats: Steamer Sioux City, 400; steamer J. H. Lacey, 192; steamer Des Moines, 228; steamer Minnehaha, 443; steamer Emma Boyd, 190; steamer Sir William Wallace, 68; bales on transports, 1,521; amount on gun-boat fleet and in possession of Capt. E. K. Owen, 207; total amount, 1,728. By order of Col. J. H. Coates, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, commanding post: J. W. BREWSTER, Lieutenant Eleventh Illinois Infantry and A. A. Q. M. Brigadier-General MCARTHUR, Commanding Post of Vicksburg. HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY, Vicksburg, Miss., March 11, 1864. SIR: I have the honor herewith to present you the following report of Yazoo River expedition, of which I had the honor of commanding: Pursuant to orders from Seventeenth Army Corps headquarters, and special instructions from Major-General Sherman, I embarked my command on the 31st of January last, consisting of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry, Maj. George C. McKee commanding (numbering 21 commissioned officers and 539 enlisted men), and Eighth Louisiana Infantry, African descent, Lieut. Col. F. E. Peebles commanding (numbering 17 commissioned officers and. 370 enlisted men), on board the transports assigned for the purpose, and disposing of them to the best advantage, and convoyed by five gun-boats, under command of Captain Owen, moved up the river, arriving the same night at the mouth of the Yazoo River, where we remained during the night, taking on sufficient fuel to last two weeks. On the morning of the 1st of February, I moved up the Yazoo River, arriving at Haynes' Bluff the same evening, taking on a small detachment of the First Mississippi Cavalry, African descent, under command of Major Cook. On the following morning I moved up the river without interruption until within a mile of Satartia, where the enemy were reported to be, when I disembarked Major McKee with the left wing of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry, and Major Cook with his small detachment of cavalry, with orders to move through the town and toward the bluffs. But few of the enemy's pickets were seen, who fled at our approach. I embarked my men again at Satartia, and on the following morning (February 3) moved up the river to within 2 miles of Liverpool Heights, when the enemy opened on my advance with two pieces of artillery. I immediately moved my transports down out of range and disembarked the troops and made preparations to engage him, having ascertained the force to be Brigadier-General Ross' Texan brigade and numbering about 1,400 men. I ordered Major McKee with the left wing of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry to move upon the extreme left with skirmishers advanced, the right wing of the Eleventh in the center moving in the same manner, and the Eighth Louisiana Infantry, African descent, on the right and right center, to move forward with the Eleventh. We were soon warmly engaged, the enemy falling back to a hastily constructed breast-work of logs, &c., where they made a desperate stand. At this juncture Major McKee ordered a charge with the right wing only of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry (the left wing being engaged with the enemy's skirmishers), but the enemy being in far superior numbers and having advantage of position, he was obliged to fall back to his former position under cover of a hill; not, however, without punishing the enemy severely, as could be seen by the removal of their wounded. The Eighth Louisiana Infantry, African descent, in the mean time had moved to the right and had engaged the enemy on the flank, but were compelled by superior numbers to fall back to their original position, being still at close range. Heavy skirmishing now began between my force and the enemy, which continued until nearly sunset, when I gave the signal, and the entire command moved back to their respective boats in good order, removing our wounded with them. From observations I had made I was led to believe that the enemy expected me to renew the attack the following morning, and was more fully and better prepared to meet me, and knowing their superiority of numbers and large advantage of position, and with two pieces of artillery, and as they were out of range of the gun-boats, I concluded it to be a better policy to move up the river, in order to keep them near me, as was designed by Major-General Sherman. On the morning of the 4th, I again moved up the river, and, when nearly opposite the point where we had the engagement the day before, the enemy opened a brisk fire of musketry on the transports, permitting the advance gun-boats to pass unmolested. My men immediately formed temporary breast-works of boxes of hard bread, knapsacks, &c., and returned the fire with good effect. 21 R R-VOL XXXII, PT I Five of my men were wounded in this affair, the names, &c., of which please find inclosed. From this point I proceeded up the river without interruption to within 6 miles of Yazoo City, where I remained during the following day, when I suggested to Captain Owen, commanding gun-boat squadron, to move two of his boats to Yazoo City to reconnoiter, which was accordingly done. They returned in a few hours, reporting the enemy in heavy force in that place, and were fired upon with artillery, two shots taking effect in one of the boats; also reporting five guns in position and one in course of erection. I have since learned that but two pieces of artillery were there, and but a small force of infantry. Fearing a night_attack, I moved down the river again nearly to Liverpool, where I remained until the following morning, when I learned from good authority that the main body of the enemy had left for Benton. I then moved a short distance up the river, when I observed men moving on the bluffs in the vicinity. I immediately disembarked a sufficient force, moving forward a line of skirmishers (with reserves at a proper distance), until we had full possession of the heights, exchanging but few shots, the enemy retreating on their horses back toward the interior. Fearing the small force I had disembarked would move too far from the boats, I ordered the proper signal to be given to return to the transports. The following morning I moved up the river without interruption, and on the evening of the 9th February took possession of Yazoo City. I had disembarked my small force of cavalry on the west side of the river with orders to move up to a point immediately opposite the city. They succeeded in capturing a small body of pickets, which had been left by the enemy, and which were duly forwarded to General McArthur by the next boat. The following day (February 10), Col. E. D. Osband arrived from Haynes' Bluff with the balance of his regiment of cavalry, making a very effective force of about 250 men. At daylight of the morning of the 11th February, I moved up the river, arriving without interruption from the enemy until on the 13th February, when near the head of Honey Island, about 60 Confederate soldiers were observed ahead and on the right bank of the river. I immediately ordered Colonel Osband to disembark with his command and engage them, moving my transports at the same time at supporting distance and my men ready to disembark immediately. The enemy fled back from the river, closely followed by Colonel Osband, who skirmished with them as long as he considered it prudent to do so, when he returned to the boats, having had 3 men wounded and losing a few horses killed, but had used the enemy severely and succeeded in capturing 3 prisoners. I moved from this point and arrived at Greenwood, Miss., at 9 p. m. on the 14th February, having moved with great caution as far as Fort Pemberton, but found it evacuated. On the morning of the 16th February, I ordered Colonel Osband with his regiment of cavalry to proceed to Grenada, unless he found the enemy in too strong force. He returned the following day and reported having been within 5 miles of Grenada, and had learned that it was occupied by General Forrest with his command, but who was reported as moving out from that place. I remained at Greenwood until the morning of February 19 (secur ing as much cotton, &c., as possible during the time), when I received orders from Brig. Gen. John McArthur, commanding at Vicksburg, to return to Yazoo City and hold that position until further orders (please find a copy of order inclosed). I immediately moved down the river, taking cotton, corn, &c., when found on plantations of disloyal parties, making my descent necessarily slow (report of cotton, stock, &c., please find inclosed*). I arrived, however, without interruption further than the tearing off the upper works of the transports by overhanging trees to within 6 miles of Yazoo City, Sunday, February 28, where I disembarked my whole force of cavalry, with instructions to move in rear of Yazoo City and take possession of all the roads leading therefrom. I then moved down leisurely with the gun-boats and transports (giving the cavalry ample time to secure all the outlets from the city), and commenced disembarking my infantry. Before, however, I had my force moved from the boats, I received information that the enemy had attacked my cavalry picket force. I immediately ordered Major Cook, First Mississippi Cavalry, African descent, with a detachment of his command to move out on the Benton road and reconnoiter. I then disembarked my infantry and formed in line, moving the Eleventh Regiment double-quick to the works commanding the Benton road and the Eighth Louisiana, African descent, to the ridge road on the right and commanding the bluff, and stationed two companies of cavalry on the extreme left. About 3 p. m. Major Cook returned, followed closely by a much superior force of the enemy until within range of my line of skirmishers, who drove them back and skirmished with them nearly 3 miles. Major Cook reported having run in General Ross' entire command about 6 miles out from the city, and who were evidently endeavoring to gain possession of the works on the heights before our arrival. The loss in this affair to the cavalry was rather heavy, considering the numbers engaged. I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Peebles and Major McKee to hold the positions they then occupied, the men of their command to lie on their arms and ready for any emergency. The enemy, however, made no attack in force, but annoyed our picket line continually. About noon on the 29th of February, my camp and garrison equipage arrived, and I ordered the commandants of each regiment to select a suitable camp-ground as near their positions as possible, which was accordingly done, and on the 1st instant we were in very comfortable quarters. The enemy would every day make a dash on my advance picket-posts and vedettes, but would retire upon any demonstration being made by the reserves, and, being well mounted, could not be overtaken. Upon the night of the 4th instant, I ascertained that General Ross had been re-enforced by the command of Brigadier-General Richardson (reported to have 800 Tennessee troops). I gave orders to have my picket reserves strengthened by two companies of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry and two companies of the Eighth Louisiana, African descent. Upon the morning of Saturday, 5th instant, a heavy attack was *See his report of March 2, 1864, p. 320. |