hats, caps, socks, gloves, &c. We also captured 6 prisoners, who were paroled on the succeeding morning, and a quantity of fine arms and ammunition. The name and regiment to which the prisoners belong I give in my summary. This fort was built of heavy oak boards, and in arrangement very similar to Fort Lawrence. Besides the fort, they had stockades or piles driven in the ground and dirt thrown up against it from the outside. On the succeeding morning we were ordered to march, and moved about 8 o'clock. After making a circuit of some 8 or 10 miles, we again returned to Marshfield, and, marching though, proceeded to camp, some 7 miles distant. At this point we formed a junction with Colonel Porter's command. Here we received orders to move the next morning at 1 o'clock, and march in the rear of Colonel Porter's command. About 4.30 o'clock, Colonel Porter's advance encountered the enemy's pickets at a point on the road about 5 miles from Hartville, and a considerable volley of musketry was fired. We were ordered up on double-quick, dismounted, and formed on the extreme left of Colonel Porter's line, where we remained until between daylight and sunrise, when we were ordered to remount and move in the rear of Colonel Shelby's command, taking a left-hand road that intersected the Hartville and Vera Cruz road, about 4 miles from Hartville. At this point the entire column countermarched, moving directly toward Hartville. After moving in this direction about 1 miles, I received orders, through Captain [W. J.] McArthur, of Colonel Shelby's command, to take a right-hand road, and moved rapidly with my command to a point where this road intersected the Houston and Hartville road, 1/2 miles east of Houston, and to remain there until further orders. I was placed there for the purpose of cutting off the retreat of the enemy and their baggage trains. A small body of the enemy's cavalry, from his right wing, made a movement in a southeasterly direction, and were fired into by my pickets, killing 1 and capturing 6 prisoners. We sustained no loss. These prisoners were afterward turned over to, and paroled by, Captain [Henry] Ewing. I remained here until dark, when I was ordered to return and fall in with the main column. At the point on the Vera Cruz road, where we countermarched, Colonel MacDonald, being in the rear, became separated from his command. He followed the main column to the field of battle. During this engagement he fell, mortally wounded in the thigh. Of his action on this occasion, others who were present have a better right to speak than myself. Surely none that knew him will pretend to say he did not die gallantly battling with the enemy-bravely fighting for his country and his country's cause. During my connection with the army I have never know a kinder-hearted man-a braver officer or soldier. Let us drop one tear upon the grave of the departed hero, and pass on the renewed victories and to avenge his death.

We camped the night of the 11th, 7 miles from Hartville, and bivouacked on an open prairie until sunrise, when I was ordered to report at your headquarters in person for orders. I was ordered to fall in rear of the entire command, with one piece of artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Collins.

I detached one company as rear guard, and, without any incidents of interest, arrived in camp abut 4 p. m. On the evening of the 12th, marched 17 miles. I sent back, about 4 miles, a heavy picket. The next day I again brought up the rear with the same piece of artillery; marched 23 miles. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th, a heavy rain commenced and continued all night. Lieutenant Collins informed