Michigan and Seventh Illinois, and the Second Brigade, consisting of the Second Iowa and Second Michigan, under Colonel Elliott.

The division landed at Hamburg on the Tennessee River, on the 23rd of April last, and immediately commenced a series of scoutings and reconnaissances, embracing the whole country lying between the Memphis and Charleston Railroad on the south and the Monterey and Hamburg road on the north, embracing a scope of country of about 20 miles in breadth. The general character of the country thus explored was found to be a succession of high rolling ridges and intermediate low swampy bottoms, all heavily timbered, and the low lands, in addition, being covered with a dense growth of tangled vines and underwood almost impenetrable. These bottoms abound in streams, which at this time had overflowed their banks, flooding the low lands, and rendering them impassable for wagons and infantry until the construction of miles of corduroy roads and bridges. During the whole time of eighteen days occupied by the march of the army to Farmington my whole division was thus laboriously employed in the advance. Frequently the heavy rains would render the roads entirely impassable for wagons, and I was then obliged to pack out upon the saddle horses of my command the requisite supplies of rations and forage, thus doubling the labor of both men and animals.

I desire here to remark that these arduous services and frequent privations have not only been cheerfully undergone by both officers and, men, but in many instances the very unusual service to mounted men of building roads and bridges, earthworks for batteries, rifle pits, and lying in the trenches as infantry have likewise been undergone without a single murmur.

Where almost every day brought with it some sharp skirmish with a vigilant enemy it seems useless to particularize, but a brief synopsis is herewith appended of some of the principal affairs in which this division has been engaged up to the arrival of the army in Farmington, a fuller account of which will be found in the subjoined reports of the officers in charge.

April 24.-Colonel Elliott, commanding Second Brigade, with a battalion each of Second and Third Michigan, Second Iowa, and Seventh Illinois, proceeded to Greer's Ford. On the 26th Captain Fowler, Second Michigan, while on escort duty with his company, was fired upon by the enemy's pickets, severely wounding Private John Foster, Company G. The enemy retreated, and the nature of the ground forbade much pursuit. Four companies, same regiment, under Major Shaw, drove in the enemy's pickets at Atkins' Mill. Had 1 man wounded. Colonel Elliott's force for several days were continually scouring the country toward Monterey.

April 27.-Major Burton, with two companies each Third Michigan and Seventh Illinois, proceeded out on the Corinth road from Hamburg, attacked and drove in a body of 250 rebel cavalry, killing 5 and taking 22 prisoners, besides capturing 15 horses and equipments and 30 stand of arms. Captain Botham, Company L, Third Michigan Cavalry, in this affair acted with great bravery, killing 1 man and wounding another with his saber, and accompanied by Corporal Cochrane, Company L, and Private MacNab, Company M, only, he took 13 prisoners.

April 29.-The Second Brigade, Colonel Elliott commanding, made a forced reconnaissance toward Monterey, attacked the enemy's camp near Monterey, driving him from it, and following him up until he covered himself by his artillery, under a heavy fire from which the command was withdrawn, the Second Iowa losing 1 private killed, 3