tracted a concentrated body of mounted rebels under Outlaw and Kesterson. The evening of the 9th I received information from Lieutenant Cleary, who was then at Clinton, that Outlaw, with several hundred men, was advancing upon that place after him, and that he would hide his command in the woods near by - the bearer of the letter would know the place where. I then issued the following instructions:

HEADQUARTERS OF THE DISTRICT,
Columbus, Ky., July 9, 1864.

Colonel W. H. LAWRENCE,

Commanding Post of Columbus, Ky.:

COLONEL: The cavalry will proceed to Clinton direct this evening and support Lieutenant Cleary. If in reconnoitering it is discovered that the force of rebels there is superior or nearly equal the cavalry will retire skirmishing, at the same time sending back to notify the infantry. The Thirty-fourth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry will move out on the same road, following the cavalry to support it. On learning that the cavalry is engaged the infantry will place itself in ambush and await until our cavalry passes to the rear of it. In order to avoid a conflict with each other, the cavalry will preserve a constant communication with the infantry by means of mounted messengers.

By order of Brigadier General H. Prince:

GEO. S. RUSSELL,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

The troops marched at 7 p. m. of the 9th, marched all night, wading the Obion in intense darkness, rested at Clinton, and at daybreak went out beyond the town. The infantry halted in woods, patrolled to the road a mile beyond Clinton. Some of the cavalry passed on and exchanged shots with the enemy, but "instead of retiring skirmishing," says the report of Colonel Moore, Thirty-fourth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, they came down the road as fast as their horses could carry them, and immediately their pursuers came in sight. Lieutenant-Colonel Moore's report continues, "I withheld my fire until they got in my front, when a volley was poured into them, emptying several saddles and killing several horses. " In summing up the result of the same, report says, "we killed 3 and wounded 5 of the enemy. " The notorious Jim Kesterson is severely wounded and a prisoner in our hands. Our loss is 1 private seriously and 3 slightly wounded of the Thirty-fourth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY PRINCE,

Brigadier-General, Volunteers.

Major W. H. MORGAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

JULY 10-17, 1864. - Expedition from Vicksburg to Grand Gulf, Miss., with skirmishes (14th) at Port Gibson and (16th) at Grand Gulf.

Itinerary of the First Brigade, First DIVISION, Seventeenth Army Corps, commanded by Colonel Frederick A. Starring, Seventy-second Illinois Infantry. *

July 10. - The Seventy-second Illinois and FIFTY-eighth Ohio Infantry Regiments, with an expedition under command of Major- General Slocum, left Vicksburg at 4 a. m. and marched to Big Black River; fifteen miles.

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*From return for July, 1864. See also report of Colonel Karge, p. 246.

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