tarrying at Fort Adams, as it was not certain what might be the result of Colonel Osband's operations. Colonel Kent reports no occurrence of importance on his march, having seen only small parties of the enemy on the march and during his stay at Fort Adams. (I had directed twenty-four hours' delay there for the purpose.) He collected a considerable amount of property, and there came to him 215 contrabands of all ages and sexes. He turned over to the proper officers at Natchez, including the property which the cavalry had captured, 24 horses, 73 serviceable mules, 330 beef-cattle, 46 bales of cotton, and 6 wagons, readily convertible into army wagons.

Colonel Farrar's official report has not yet been received, but I believe there was nothing worthy of reporting in his operations, except that he received about 300 cattle. He returned to Natchez immediately upon meeting Colonel Osband at Kingston.

In all these operations 185 negro recruits were added to our colored forces.

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. T. DANA,

Major-General.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Military DIVISION of WEST Mississippi.

Numbers 2. Report of Colonel Embury D. Osband, THIRD U. S. Colored Cavalry, commanding Cavalry Forces.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY FORCES,
Vicksburg, Miss., September 26, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that in pursuance of orders from district headquarters I moved the THIRD U. S. Colored Cavalry, 330 men, Major J. B. Cook, commanding at daylight on the 21st instant, to Haynes' Bluff, at which place they crossed the Yazoo River by the steamer White Cloud, marching twelve miles and encamping on the Hill place.

On the 22nd Major Cook attacked the commands of Bradford and Montgomery, about 150 strong, near Rolling Fork, and succeeded in driving them. He pursued them fifteen miles, when they crossed Sunflower River. He encamped at their camp on the Helen Johnson place. At 3 a. m. on the 23rd instant he burned all the tenements, outhouses, stabling, gin-houses, &c., upon the premises as ordered by district headquarters, destroying a large amount of ammunition, arms, and subsistence stores, hidden on the place. About midday of the 23rd he met Captain Sutton, commissary of subsistence C. S. Army, with twelve men, driving 300 head of cattle branded C. S., purchased for the use of the Confederate army. He killed 8 of the escort, and succeeded in taking the captain and 4 men prisoners. Owing to the dense canebrake he was enabled to reach Egg Point with only about 200 of the cattle, which were turned over to Lieutenant-Colonel Sturdevant, chief commissary of subsistence at this place, as ordered. He also captured 18 horses, 19 mules, as appears by inclosed memorandum receipts, marked A. * On the 24th the THIRD U. S. Colored Cavalry

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*Omitted.

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