the 19th, having been temporarily attached to the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Wade, I was moved out four miles from Oxford on the Abbeville road, then occupied by the enemy, and by ordered of Colonel Wade took position, dismounted in the timber overlooking an open field north of Mr. Isham's residence, in which the enemy were engaging our skirmishers. The enemy soon advanced about two regiments dismounted. I had ordered my regiment to conceal themselves by lying down and hold their fire until such time as I might order. I allowed them to advance until within about 100 yards, when I ordered them to fire, when to my mortifications my guns refused to fire. After delivering about fifteen or twenty shots, principally pistols, seeing the condition of my arms and the exposed condition of my command, already having had 1 man killed and 1 mortally wounded, I ordered my regiment to retire. In this engagement the enemy had 1 killed, wounded not known.

It is proper that I should state that my guns had been loaded five days, during which they had been almost constantly exposed to the most drenching rains, and this fact was made known to the colonel commanding before going into the engagement. While I do not enter the above as a complaint against the colonel commanding, I must insist that the protest entered against going into an engagement under the circumstances was perfectly justifiable.

I arrived and went into camp at this place on the 25th, the six previous day being occupied in pic, &c.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.

W. L. DUCKWORTH,

Colonel,nth Tennessee.

Captain V. B. WADDELL,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigade, First DIVISION.

Numbers 25. Report of Lieutenant Colonel David C. Kelley, Twenty-sixth Tennessee (Confederate) Cavalry Battalion.

HEADQUARTERS FORREST'S REGIMENT CAVALRY,
August 30, 1864.

CAPTAIN: Leaving camp near Gunn's Church August 4, we moved with the brigade to Pontotoc. Were ordered from Pontotoc on the 6th to picket the fords of Tippah River. Returned to Pontotoc on the evening of the 11th, and ordered on the morning of the 13th, in company with Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, to strike and destroy the railroad between Grand Junction and Holly Springs and between Memphis and Grand Junction. Received the order at 2 a. m., and moved at daylight with six days' rations for men and two for horses. I expected Colonel W. L. Duckworth, as senior officer, to command the expedition until we reached New Albany. Here I found he would not join us. I was totally unacquainted with the country and railroad, had no tools of any kind to tear up the road, and has been ordered to avoid the fortifications, which were to be found at all the important trestles. I halted nine miles beyond New Albany, having sent forward to get guides who were acquainted with the country. Small scouts were sent forward under the guides to report to me at Salem. The enemy had fallen back from Oxford to Abbeville, and I was especially careful in my efforts to obtain information as to the locality of his cavalry. When I reached Salem I found that the enemy were so industriously scouting all the