OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [CHAP.XII.

spirit, and energy, and will no doubt have a good effect on the other side of the Cumberland.

I inclose copies of the reports of Major Phillips and Lieutenant Phelps, commanding the Conestoga.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. F. SMITH, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

The ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Hdqrs. Western Department, Saint Louis, Mo.

Numbers 2. Report of Major J. J. Phillips, Ninth Illinois Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH REGIMENT ILL. VOLS., Paducah, Ky., October 27, 1861.

SIR: I have the report that, in obedience to Special Orders, No.-, viz:

SPECIAL ORDERS, } HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE U. S. FORCES, Numbers -. } Paducah, Ky., October 25, 1861.

In obedience to Special Orders, Numbers 71, from headquarters, three full companies of the Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, under command of Major Phillips, of the Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, with rations for two days, will parade at General Smith's headquarters 15 minutes before 4 o'clock p. m., for detached service. The commanding officer will report in person to the commanding general for orders.

By order of Brigadier General E. A. Paine:

EMIL ADAM, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

I left the headquarters of the Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers with three full companies of the Ninth Regiment, viz: Company b, Captain Kueffner; Company H, Captain Armstrong; Company I, Captain Robinson. Details were made from other companies in this regiment to supply the place of those on duty from said companies, to give each company the full complement of men, and were parade at the hour specified in the order in front of the headquarters of Brigadier-General Smith, from whence, in obedience to his order, we marched aboard of the steamer Lake Erie, and left the wharf at Paducah at 4.30 o'clock p. m. on the 25th instant, followed by the gunboat Conestoga, Captain Phelps commanding, to Smithland.

At Smithland the gunboats was sent in advance of the steamer Lake Erie up the Cumberland River to New Forge Landing, about 45 miles from the mouth of the Cumberland River, where we arrived about 3 a. m. of the 26th instant. The landing was effected with dispatch, Company B in advance, followed by Company H, Company I bringing up the rear. Great precaution was taken to prevent the knowledge of the landing of troops being carried in advance of their march, and by taking an unfrequented road we marched about 3 miles to a point almost due west from Eddyville, 3 miles distant. We then marched up the bed of a dry branch about 5 miles to the north, where we left the branch, and marched about 5 miles to the princeton and Eddyville road, intersecting it at a point about 600 yards north of the village of Saratoga, at which place we expected to find an encampment of rebel cavalry, under Captain Wilcox. Our skirmishers succeeded in surrounding and capturing the rebel pickets without firing a gun, and the advance of our troops