firing with canister until after dark. The other piece of the center section, under Lieutenant O. Gaudet, remained on the left of the rifle section, and continued to fire until dark, under a very severe fire from the artillery and sharpshooters of the enemy, when it was moved to the extreme left of the line and took position in the redoubt, covering the position of the Seventh Regiment Texas Cavalry, Col. A. P. Bagby, in its front.

The conduct of Lieutenant Garrett and Gaudet and the men of the center section was marked by the most becoming coolness and gallantry.

Casualties in center section: 1 man killed and 4 wounded; 9 horses killed and 5 wounded.

This battery remained in position until 2.30 on the morning of the 14th of April, when I received the order from you to retire toward Franklin, 13 miles in our rear, which place was reached soon after sunrise on the 14th instant. By direction of General Taylor, the commander-in-chief, I then sent the rifle section, under Lieutenant B. F. Winchester, to report to General Mouton, above Franklin, where some 4,000 of the enemy had landed on the lake shore for the purpose of turning our position at Bisland, which was not prevented by a small force sent from our lines the night of the 12th instant. I proceeded with the other four pieces by the road called the "Cut-off," and at Jeanerette, that night, was rejoined by the rifle section. Here the right and left sections took position in battery, commanding the road through the prairie, to cover the passage of our wagon train. On the morning of the 15th instant, the battery moved forward up the bayou road to Nelson's plantation, where the rifle section was again detached with the rear guard, composed of Sibley's brigade of Texas cavalry and the Second Regiment of Louisiana Cavalry, all under Col. Tom Green. The rifle section remained at Nelson's until 3.30 o'clock on the morning of the 15th, when it moved forward, passing through New Iberia at daylight. In the mean time the other two sections had passed through New Iberia. The rifle section was relieved by a section of Cornay's Louisiana battery 2 miles above New Iberia. The battery went into park and encamped at old Camp Pratt, above Spanish Lake, on the night of the 15th instant. Marching on the 16th, crossed the prairie some 20 miles to Vermillion Bridge, crossing which, camped on the west bank until the afternoon of Friday, the 17th instant, when the right and left sections moved forward, passing through Vermillionville, leaving the center section, under Lieutenant O. Gaudet, in battery, posted with a section of Captain [J. D.] Sayers' Valverde Battery, Lieutenant [William] Smith covering the Vermillion Bridge, and commanding the prairie beyond. About 2 p.m., the enemy having thrown a body of sharpshooters in several houses on the right of the bridge, in the prairie on the east bank, supported by cavalry and artillery, the sharpshooters were dislodged, and retired after Lieutenant Gaudet had fired 13 rounds of spherical case. The enemy's artillery shelled Lieutenant Gaudet's position until night closed in, but without effect, his pieces and caissons being protected by a heavy growth of timber, and the enemy's shells exploding too high and in his rear.

Casualties in the center section, on the 17th of April: 1 man slightly wounded; 1 horse crippled and abandoned.

Soon after night, Lieutenant Gaudet retired his section, and, marching all night, rejoined the battery at Opelousas, 20 miles distant, on the morning of the 18th instant.

It becomes my duty, and it affords me much pleasure, to report and act