the affair, and said the ground was covered with dead and wounded rebels, but in the morning they were all gone except the above couple and a brother, who was left to care for them (one had four severe wounds); he said the intention of the rebels was to tear up the track at Lamar and attack this post, but the sudden attack, where they did not expect to find Union troops, had frustrated their plan. From the best information obtained, I estimated the rebel force at about 600 or 700. They went back in the direction of Salem. A contraband who came in states that he saw them five or six miles out, going in that direction in hot haste. I had my force so disposed that if they had attacked us here, I should have defended the train loaded with forage, two miles and a half above the station, at all hazards.

Great credit is due Lieutenant Skelton and his brave command for their gallant and successful charge, thus forcing the rebels to abandon their designs, and saving a large amount of Government property and detention of communications.

I have received information that a force of 10,000 rebels are at Hickory Flats, eighteen or twenty miles east of Holly Springs, on the old road to Pontotoc, under Lee, Huff, and Duke, but General Forrest is not with them. I think the force is greatly overestimated.

Respectfully submitted.

S. R. BAKER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Major HOUGH.

P. S. - Lieutenant Skelton's command has all arrived safe in camp, except the orderly sergeant, from La Grange and Davis' Mills, his orderly being the only one wounded.

S. R. B.

Numbers 5. Report of Colonel Joseph J. Woods, Twelfth Iowa Infantry, commanding THIRD Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., August 31, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations during the late expedition into Mississippi, ending on the 26th day of August, 1864, viz:

On the morning of July 31, 1864, the Twelfth Iowa, Seventh Minnesota, Thirty-THIRD Missouri, and Thirty-fifth Iowa, of this brigade, embarked on the cars, by order of Major General A. J. Smith, and moved to Davis' Mills, Miss. August 5 [1], marched, by order of Brigadier General Edward Hatch, via Lamar, to Coldwater River, and on the morning of August 2 marched to Holly Springs, where the Twelfth Iowa were detailed as provost guards. On the morning of August 5 the remaining three regiments moved by railroad, by order of Brigadier General J. A. Mower, to Waterford. August 7 the Seventh Minnesota and Thirty-fifth Iowa moved to the Tallahatchie River to protect the pioneer corps in constructing a bridge. They found the enemy's pickets on the north side of the river, whom they attacked and drove across the river, capturing the flat-boat used as a ferry, and established pickets on the south side of the river. Their position was shelled for a short time during that