NOVEMBER 2-12, 1861.-Expeditions from Bird's Point, Cape Girardeau and Ironton, Mo., against Thompson's [Confederate] Forces.

REPORT, ETC.*

No. 1.-Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, Eighth Illinois Infantry, of expedition from Bird's Point, with General Grant's instructions to him.

No. 2.-Colonel Nicholas Perczel, Tenth Iowa Infantry, of expedition

from Cape Girardeau, with General Grant's instructions.

No. 3.-Colonel W. P. Carlin, Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry, of

expedition from Ironton.

No. 4.-Brigadier General M. Jeff. Thompson, Missouri State Guard, with

instructions to his subordinates.

No. 5.-Colonel Solon Borland, C. S. Army.

No. 1. Report of Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, Eighth Illinois Infantry, of expedition from Bird's Point, with instructions from General Grant.

BIRD'S POINT, MO., November 13, 1861.

GENERAL: I have to report that upon receiving your order at 12 o'clock at night November 2, I immediately organized the expedition to move inland from this point and in the direction of the Saint Francois River. On Monday morning the forces, consisting of the Eighteenth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Michael K. Lawler; the Twenty-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, commanded by Colonel James Rearden, and one section of Captain Schwartz's light artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Gumbart, from Brigadier-General McClernand's brigade, Cairo, Ill., and the Eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Frank L. Rhoads commanding; one battalion Eleventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel T. E. G. Ransom commanding; Captain Pfaff's cavalry; and Captain Langen's cavalry, Lieutenant Hansen commanding, and Captain Noleman's Centralia Cavalry, Lieutenant Tufts commanding, were landed at Commerce, Mo. The day was occupied in unloading supplies and arranging transportation for the march. Bearing in mind your order to pursue the rebel forces under Jeff. Thompson wherever they might be found, and to destroy the same if found, I marched directly for Bloomfield, Mo., at which point I was reliably informed the rebel forces were encamped. To avoid delay I moved the column directly towards the Nigger Wool Swamp, and crossed it and the swamp between it and Little River, at Stringer's Ferry, 7 miles in one day. To do this it became necessary to construct several bridges, and to cut out a new road in several places. The rebel pickets were met by my advance guard on the bridge over the lake in the swamp. A slight skirmish ensued. An effort was made by the rebels to burn the bridge. It was soon repaired, under the direction of Dr. John M. Phipps, assistant surgeon of the Eighth Regiment. In the afternoon, Thursday, 7 miles from Bloomfield, I received a note from Colonel Perczel, of the Tenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers, informing me that he had taken possession of the town without resistance. The forces under General Thompson retreated in the direction of New Madrid on the night of the 6th instant. At Bloomfield I received your order to turn the column in the direction of New Madrid. I had already sent forward on the road towards New Madrid Colonel Perczel with his regiment about 6 miles, when Colonel William H. L. Wallace came up with the

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*See also General Grant's report [No. 1] of engagement at Belmont, November 7, post.

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