point, and sent 17 miles farther back into the country. Here we also found Private Morris, another of the party, who had been attacked, captured, and imprisoned, and subsequently released, the circumstances of which are hereinafter detailed. Whit the additional force of Captain Rose, leaving a guard to protect the train and having secured all necessary transportation, we took up the line of march for Houma, distant 13 miles, where we arrived at 10 o'clock a. m. Such persons as being conveyed of our approach. On reaching Houma all necessary measures to guard against the escape of the criminals, if there, were taken. I found the town almost deserted, at least three-fourths of the citizens having fled upon the previous day, many of them taking such of their effects as they could readily move, whilst others, ion their haste to escape, left all their property behind and entirely unprotected. Those remaining were indisposed to have any intercourse with me whatever, much less to furnish such information as they possessed and I required. Having secured the necessary quarters I proceeded to investigate the circumstances relating to the murder of our men, of the disposition made of their bodies, and ascertained the following facts; I'hat about 2 o'clock on the morning of the 9th inst. Col. J. W. McMillan, of this regiment, with 65 men, had passed through the two of Houma upon an expedition to capture the rebel steamer Fox, which he had been informed was then in Grand [Caillou] Bayou, some 30 miles bayou that place. This fact coming to the knowledge of Colonels Bisland and Robinson, they, or one of them, issued an order, in pursuance of which the militia of that parish assembled in Houma at an early hour of the same morning. The object of this meeting was to devise means to prevent the capture of the above-named vessel or to recapture her should she be taken. The subject being fully canvassed, done his purpose and adjourned the meeting. Still later, upon the same day, a band of armed men, variously estimated from 15 to 20 in number, proceeded upon the same road taken by Colonel McMillan, but afterward returned, as they said, for recruits. Late in the evening they again sallied forth in the same direction, and having obtained information of the approach of two wagons driven by negroes, each containing two soldiers of Colonel McMillan's command, sent back by him and who were on their way to the railroad station, as the wagons were passing they town, and in the dusk of evening fired upon them with guns loaded with buck-shot, instantly killing 2 of the men, one in each wagons, and wounding the others. The negroes, being mounted upon the horses, escaped unhurt. The killed were Sergt. [Jesse] Frakes, of Co. E, and Private [Charles] Geisendorffer, of Co. G; the wounded were Privates Miller, of Col. F, and Morris, of Co. I, the former being shot in the shoulder and thigh and the latter in the forehead, neither seriously injured. By order of the wounded men the negroes drove rapidly on and escaped further danger from the firing. The wagon containing Private Miller and the body of Geisendorffer succeeded in passing through the two, but the other wagon, in which were Private Morris and the body of Sergeant Frakes, was overtaken before reaching it. Miller having proceeded 1 1\2 miles beyond Houma, in the direction of the railroad station, finding himself pursued sprang from the wagon, taking with him his own gun and that of his dead comrade, and concealed himself from his pursuers. The wagon was soon after overtaken and stopped in the road, and Miller, under the cover of darkness, cautiously followed and over-