Hurricane Creek, returning to camp at Abbeville at night. On the 19th we advanced again to Hurricane Creek, and on the 21st moved on the road to Oxford. On the 22nd the command returned by the same route and marches, arriving at Holly Springs August 26, 1864.

There being nothing further to report, I have the honor to be, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. MERRIAM,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant JAMES D. COBINE,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 3rd Brigadier, 3rd Div., 16th Army Corps.

Numbers 15. Report of Major Robert McWilliams, One hundred and seventeenth Illinois Infantry.

HDQRS. 117TH Illinois VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Holly Springs, Miss., August 27, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: By order of Colonel Wolfe, I herewith transmit a report of my command on the forage expedition on this day. On starting from camp I divided the wagon train, with infantry guard, having a strong guard in front and rear. I placed the mounted men under the charge of the quartermaster of the Forty-ninth Illinois Infantry, with directions to go in advance, but not to lose sight of the column, and when they saw a house to send four mounted men rapidly forward, surround the number of fifteen, under charge of a lieutenant of the Forty-ninth Illinois Infantry, to follow the mounted men, keeping the column in sight, and relieve the mounted men, and when they reached the house the mounted men were at throw out pickets and wait my arrival. My object in this arrangement was to prevent the citizens from running off their stock, and so explained it to the officers in charge of the details. The quartermaster, instead of keeping in sight of the column, rode with his men clear out of sight, and gave me some trouble to find him, and when I accidentally at an out-of-the-way house did find him it turned out that the infantry pickets were not there.

At this place we were attacked, and 1 mule and 1 horse were captured, and 1 man in Battery G slightly wounded. On coming from this house to the column I heard of the near approach of about 200 rebel cavalry, and immediately put the train in order, and commenced the return. All the men in the different commands were reported present but three from the Forty-ninth Illinois Infantry. I marched them, dividing the train, with infantry and a strong rear and front guard, until we arrived on the main road about one mile outside the pickets, when it was reported that two of the wagons were not filled. I stopped the column and ordered the wagons filled from a field of corn near by. I then took six mounted men and started back about a mile to get some mules secreted in the woods, and ordered the whole train not to move until my return. At this it me the men were all present and in good order but the three from the Forty-ninth Illinois Infantry. I came back in about one hour and found the whole train had returned to camp; who ordered them so to do I don't know; as near as I can ascertain they seemed to think they were not far from camp, were out of danger, and started back in a