Kincheloe, Alexander, and Caldwell. These gentlemen proved themselves worthy of the high trust confided to them, and reflected fresh honors on the profession of which they are worthy members.

I am still supporting a hospital in the field.

I am pained to be compelled here, from a sense of duty, to inform you that Captain Triplett, left with a company as a military guard for me by General Polk, abandoned me without leave. As no bad result followed, I ask for him the clemency of the general.

I have the honor to be, major, your obedient servant,

WM. D. LYLES,

Medical Director.

Major GEORGE WILLIAMSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 142. Report of Captain Smith P. Bankhead, C. S. Army, Chief of Artillery.

HDQRS. ARTY, FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Corinth, Miss., April 17, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to inclose, for the information of the major-general commanding this corps, a report, in tabular form, showing the condition of the artillery attached to his command on the 6th and 7th instant and the casualties attending its operations. The large loss of caissons is attributable to the extraordinary mortality of (139 out of 347) horses; the disabling of six on the field; using teams of some of haul off captured guns, and the abandonment of others on the road. Many of these last, however, have been recovered and turned over to the ordnance department at this place. I conclude, from all the information before me, that not more than six or eight of these caissons were left on the field, and that the ammunition in all of them had been expended before they were abandoned.

The guns reported as lost by Captain Smith were left on the field by order of the major-general in lieu of three James rifled cannon.

Captain Stanford lost four guns and six caissons on the 7th instant. Coming upon the scene of this disaster shortly after its occurrence, with Bankhead's battery, the enemy was driven back and these guns recaptured, and orders were immediately sent by me to Captain Stanford to haul off his guns. His failure to obey this order resulted, as he reports, from an inability to get horses enough to execute it, as most of his own horses were killed or disabled.

Believing that I could render more efficient service with my own battery than on the staff of the general, I obtained his consent to my absence during the 6th and 7th, and hence can only refer to the reports of the commanders of other battalions for a more detailed account of their respective operations.

I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SMITH P. BANKHEAD,

Captain and Chief of Arty, First Corps, Army of the Mississippi.

Major GEORGE WILLIAMSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.