brigade moved by the left flank to the Oxford road, where I was directed to form a line with my regiment and the Tenth Minnesota Infantry for the protection of a cross-road. This line was hardly formed until I was again ordered to move forward. The brigade was halted about half a mile beyond Abbeville, where it remained in the road until near sundown, when we returned to camp, the enemy being driven off by the troops in our advance. On the 25th I moved my command, in its proper place in the brigade, on the Holly Springs road; bivouacked near Waterford for the night. Morning 26th, 8 a. m., moved to this place, arriving at noon.

[DE W. C. THOMAS,

Colonel, Commanding.]

Lieutenant O. H. ABEL,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 1st Brigadier, 1st Div., 16th Army Corps.

Numbers 3. Report of Colonel Lucius F. Hubbard, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., August 30, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report as follows regarding the operations of the Second Brigade, First DIVISION, SIXTEENTH Army Corps, during the late expedition;

For details of the movements of the brigade from the starting of the expedition until the 17th instant, the date upon which I assumed command, I would respectfully refer to the accompanying report* of Colonel J. D. McClure, Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry Volunteers. At the time I was assigned to its command the brigade was encamped near Abbeville, Miss., where it remained until the morning of the 21st instant. On that day the command moved to Hurricane Creek, and on the following to Oxford, countermarching in the evening to the bivouac of the night of the 21st. During these two days no enemy was encountered or incident transpired worthy of special mention. On the 23rd the retrograde march was resumed, and at 12 m. the brigade encamped in its former location near Abbeville. Immediately upon the arrival of the command in camp I ordered a picket to be posted to the rear upon the Oxford road. As the detail was moving to the point designated for its post it was met a few rods from camp by the advance guard of the enemy, who had followed the rear of the column during the day's march. The officer in command, Lieutenant D. C. Ross, Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, at once deployed his men as skirmishers and soon became hotly engaged. Hearing the skirmishing I immediately ordered the command under arms, deployed a line of skirmishers, covering the front and flanks of the camp, and ordered it forward, supported by the Fifth Minnesota Veterans. The skirmishing soon became general along the line, and the enemy, though being driven, developed himself in considerable force. The skirmishers were re-enforced by four companies of the Fifth Minnesota, the Eighth Wisconsin Veterans, Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, and section of the Second Iowa Battery ordered up, and line of battle formed. As soon as these dispositions were made an advance was ordered, which was made at double-quick. The enemy essayed to make a stand, but though in superior force succeeded only for a moment. A

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*Not found.

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