to their battery, they withdrew, it is supposed, in supreme disgust, as nothing further was heard from them during the night. With nothing to eat since early morning, we remained in line of battle until night, when the stillness became almost oppressive. About midnight the guns from our battery, one by one, silently withdrew; then regiment after regiment followed so silently the drowsy ear of night was scarcely disturbed. Upon arriving at the river, my command marched over upon a floating raft or pontoon which had been improvised for the occasion, and by 3 a. m. my entire command was safely over.

At about 10 o'clock, our battery firing them a farewell shot, my command moved, off, leaving them alone in their glory. They did not pursue us with the spirit and determination of brave men fighting in a just cause, but prowled in the rear of our army like a band of wolves and jackals.

Nothing further of importance occurred until the morning of the 6th, when my command entered the almost impenetrable swamps through which the Cache River winds its devious, sluggish, sickly way. Day after day, in mud and water, with artillery, baggage, and ammunition wagons mired down, and horses and mules floundering in exhaustion, did my men and animals toil and struggle, when, after three days of untold trials and hardships, the entire command emerged from this wilderness of mud and disease-generating miasma more like an army of denizens of a semi-amphibio subterranean world than one of men and animals.

As nothing further of importance occurred on our march to the present encampment, and this report having assumed a frightful length, I will close it by respectfully referring you to the inclosed reports from the several commands composing my brigade for a more detailed account of the parts taken by them.

It affords me great pleasure to bear testimony to the noble, self-sacrificing, and chivalrous conduct of the officers and men of this command, and, with a few exceptions of wanton cowardice, which you will find reported in the inclosed reports, no body of men ever acted more gallantly.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

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

G. W. THOMPSON,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain [J. W.] McARTHUR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 15. Report of Captain John M. Muse, First Missouri Infantry (Confederate).

HEADQUARTERS MARMADUKE'S DIVISION,
Jacksonport, Ark., May 14, 1863.

CAPTAIN: According to orders received from headquarters Shelby's brigade, I left Fredericktown, Mo., on the night of April 21, with a detachment of 90 men of your command, and also 3 commissioned officers, viz, Captain [W. T.] Lineback, Burbridge's regiment, Lieutenant [Josiah L.] Bledsoe, Gordon's regiment, and Lieutenant [J. M.] Wills, Thompson's regiment, for the purpose of destroying some portion of the