Numbers 7. Report of Brigadier General David S. Stanley, U. S. Army, commanding First Division.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION,
April 20, 1862.

MAJOR: In reporting upon the part taken by the First Division of this army in compelling the surrender of Island Numbers 10 I have the honor to state that I was assigned the command of the division on the 4th day of March, and on the same night a detachment of 500 men, commanded by Colonel J. L. Kirby Smith, Forty-third Ohio Volunteers, made a reconnaissance in force, and after cannonading the town and forts for half an hour retired to their camp without loss. Upon the 6th of the same month my entire division, consisting of the First Brigade, Colonel Groesbeck commanding, and the Second Brigade, Colonel J. L. Kirby Smith commanding, by the order of the major-general commanding, pushed our way into the town of New Madrid to within 700 yards of the upper fort, driving the enemy's infantry; but at this point, finding ourselves under a cross-fire of seven gunboats and the guns of both the forts, I deemed it proper to withdraw my troops. We were for half an hour under a fierce cannonade, and, strange to say, suffered only in 3 wounded.

The operations of the 13th March, in which my division had the honor to bear an important part, have already been reported to your office.* The time elapsing between the 13th of March and the 7th of April was occupied in instructing the division in the duties of outposts and the drill of the battalion and brigade. In all these I am happy to report decided progress.

On the 7th my division, accompanied by Captain Dees' Michigan battery, crossed the Mississippi from the upper for immediately after the crossing of General Paine's division. Waiting for the head of General Hamilton's division, we took up the march immediately upon his arrival, and moved by the river route toward Tiptonville, Deserted camps and abandoned artillery indicated a flying enemy. Night coming on very dark and our guide being uncertain of the route, the command was bivouacked until morning, when a contraband informed me the enemy had surrendered to General Paine. Subsequently the same day we crossed the New Madrid Bend to Island Numbers 10. Covering the country for 7 miles perpendicular to the main road with skirmishers, we picked up about 40 prisoners. All the horses were found full of the enemy's sick, and cannon, ammunition, tents, wagons, and various material of war were found scattered through the bend. These we had no means to move. The major-general has already been apprised of these facts.

I transmit inclosed the reports of Colonels Groesbeck and Smith, brigade commanders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. S. STANLEY,

Brigadier General, Commanding First Division, Army Mississippi.

Major SPEED BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army Mississippi.

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*No such report found from General Stanley; but see Colonel John W. Sprague's report, p. 101.

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