for forage, and unexpectedly became engaged with an enemy of very considerable strength, an which I have reason to believe was a column of rebel cavalry hastening to join the main force, which we met on the 10th. Captain Wilson and Lieutenant Lynch, of Company C, at once charged the enemy gallantly with their company, first mounted and then dismounted, and drove in the squadrons which had been sent against them. On coming in sight of the main body, my men formed a line and alone maintained the fight until re-enforced by squadrons of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry and Companies E and F of this regiment, under Captains Spencer and Crail, respectively. It having been determined by the general commanding DIVISION not to give battle at this time, Company C was ordered to retire, and a portion of the line on the right of Companies E and F retiring they also were withdrawn, after having been under a severe fire for half an hour. A new line was formed half a mile nearer camp, and maintained until after dark, when all the line returning to camp, the enemy passed, seemingly more desirous to unite with his own army than to annoy us at that time. The loss of my companies here was: Company C, 1 horse wounded; Company E, 1 man wounded, 3 horses killed and 2 horses wounded; Company F, 1 men killed and 1 horse killed. In all, 1 man killed, 1 man wounded, 4 horses killed an 3 horses wounded.

After this, on the 8th and 9th, we advanced with the rest of the cavalry toward Guntown or Baldwyn. The want of sufficient forage began to affect our horses very perceptibly, and the difficulty in obtaining the small amount in the country about us was now increased by the presence of the enemy. On the morning of the 9th a foraging party of this command was fired into by a guerrilla band concealed in the brush. Private George W. Rhoads, Company B, mortally wounded. He died the same day, and was buried on the line of march. His horse, equipments, and arms were saved. The last forage of any kind whatever this command received or obtained was at Stubbs' plantation on the evening of the 9th. On the morning of the 10th we left camp at about 7 a. m., this regiment following immediately after the wagons and led horses, &c., of the First Brigade Cavalry, which brigade had the advance. At about six miles from Stubb's plantation we crossed a swamp, or bayou, very difficult of passage, and which was not bridged. A man on horseback found great difficulty in getting over, and one horse of this command was suffocated in the mud. When approaching - Roads, at 11 a. m., this command went into line of battle, by battalion, on the right of the road (leading to Guntown), and one battalion, also mounted, under Major Jones, on the left of the road, and sent two squadrons, under Captain Brown, to the front on the road a mile, as a picket. I at once made communication by patrol with the right flank of the First Brigade, an soon after the battalion under Major Jones was ordered to close up on Colonel Wring's right. By this movement my command was separated and the line interrupted until the gap was filled by a portion of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. The cavalry was then dismounted and the horses at once sent to the rear. By pickets and skirmishers I was informed of the advance upon our front of a heavy column of the enemy, and soon after the battalion under Major Jones, composed of Companies F, G, H, and I, came under fire and held the enemy in check for from three- quarters to an hour. Com-