With a view to further operations beyond and below Natchez, I deemed it advisable that I should be at that post to organize the contemplated expeditions and accordingly reached there on the 1st instant. It had been intended that the cavalry forces should embark at Natchez on the evening of the 2d, but being unexpectedly detained by engagements with the enemy they could not move in time to receive the benefit of the co-operative movement toward Clinton, which, at my request, was made by Brigadier-General Lawler from Morganza, on the 3rd instant. On the 4th the following arrangements were made: Colonel Osband with his original force, and in addition a detachment of Fourth Illinois Cavalry (stationed at Natchez), making in all about 1,200 men to embark on the transports in the evening and proceed to Tunica Bend, 110 miles down river, then debarking at daylight on the 5th to proceed at once to Woodville and beyond: the Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry Colonel L. Kent, stationed at Natchez about 500 strong, to embark also and land at Tunica Bend and march across the peninsula to Fort Adams, there to await Colonel Osband: Colonel B. G. Farrar, Sixth U. S. Colored Artillery (Heavy) with 1,000 infantry detailed from Brigadier-General Brayman's command at post of Natchez to proceed to Havard's Ferry on Homochitto River, twenty-six miles from Natchez, there to await the cavalry forces on their return toward Natchez. Th reports of the subordinate commanders, herewith transmitted, show how satisfactorily these operations were executed. I notified General Lawler of the delay in my operations, and on the 5th he again threw out a force in the direction of Clinton.

Our forces found a body of the enemy at Woodville on the morning of the 6th instant, surprised and partially surrounded them, and after a short engagement routed them, with a loss to the enemy of 40 killed and 41 captured, including 1 captain and 1 lieutenant: also captured 3 pieces of artillery, horses and harnesses. The loss on our side was nothing. Woodville was then occupied, and there were captured and destroyed there 35 stand of arms, 35 saddles, $100,000 worth of commissary and quartermaster's stores of the rebel Government, consisting of salt, sugar, flour, tobacco, cotton, cloth, &c; also were captured a rebel telegraph office, with instruments complete, and much mail matter. Our forces moved in the evening of the 6th to the junction of the Pinckneyville and Woodville roads, four miles from Fort Adams, where the prisoners and captured property were turned over to Colonel Kent, commanding Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry. Expecting to meet Colonel Scott's (rebel) forces at Woodville, Colonel Osband reoccupied that placed the next morning. There was some skirmishing, and 1 man killed on our side, but the enemy was not found to be in force anywhere in the vicinity. On the 8th he marched from Buffalo Creek, where he had encamped, meeting Colonel Farrar at Kingston and reaching Natchez in the afternoon. On the march beyond Woodville, Lieutenant Colonel Otto Funke, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, was painfully, but not dangerously wounded by some bushwhackers concealed in the thick brush near the road. It has subsequently appeared that in the skirmish of the morning of the 7th our forces had met Power's regiment (rebel), 200 strong, and killed the commanding officer, Major McKowen, and 8 men.

Colonel Kent, marching from Tunica, via Pinckneyville, reached Fort Adams, eighteen miles, on evening of the 5th. The transports were ordered to await him at that point, and when he had embarked the prisoners and property received from the cavalry, as well as that which he had himself collected, and had for prudential reasons delayed till the morning of the 8th, he returned to Natchez. I approved his course in