Abstract from morning report of Chalmers' brigade of cavalry, Brigadier General J. R. Chalmers commanding, for October 3, 1863; headquarters Moss Hill, Miss.

Present

for duty.

Offi Effective Aggregate

Command. cers. Men. total present.

present.

2nd Arkansas Cavalry,

Captain Cochran.

1st Mississippi Partisan

Rangers, Lieutenant-

Colonel Hovis.

3rd Mississippi State

Cavalry, Colonel

McGuirk.

18th Mississippi

Battalion, Major

Chalmers.

2nd Missouri Cavalry,
151 1,600 1,600 2,108

Colonel McCulloch.

7th Tennessee Cavalry,

Lieutenant-Colonel

Buckworth.

Texas Battalion,

Lieutenant-Colonel

Willis.

New regiment (3th

Mississippi Cavalry),

Colonel George.

McLendon's battery.

CONTINUATION:

Arms.

Aggregate Aggregate

Command. present last Service Unservice

and return. able. able.

absent.

2nd Arkansas

Cavalry, Captain

Cochran.

1st Mississippi

Partisan Rangers,

Lieutenant-Colonel

Hovis.

3rd Mississippi

State Cavalry,

Colonel McGuirk.

18th Mississippi

Battalion, Major

Chalmers.

2nd Missouri

Cavalry, Colonel
3,147 3,252 1,387 35

McCulloch.

7th Tennessee

Cavalry,

Lieutenant-Colonel

Buckworth.

Texas Battalion,

Lieutenant-Colonel

Willis.

New regiment (3th

Mississippi

Cavalry), Colonel

George.

McLendon's battery.

Numbers 17.

Reports of Colonel John McGuirk, Third Mississippi State Cavalry.

HDQRS. THIRD MISSISSIPPI [STATE] CAVALRY, Wyatt, Miss., October 16, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on the morning of October 5, I moved my regiment from camp at Wyatt and reached Holly Springs at 2 p. m. I left that point at 5.30 p. m., and posted my right wing, under Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale, at the Cock farm, on the La Grange road, and my left wing, under Major Kilgore, was posted on the road running parallel with the railroad, and called the Scales' Depot road, leading to La Grange. At 8 p. m. I received an order to unite my wings and move to Lieutenant-Colonel Duckworth's assistance, as he would attack a camp of the enemy at daylight located at Lockhart's Mill, on Coldwater. At 3 o'clock Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale moved, and soon after Major Kilgore brought up the left, and a little after day the line was united and the regiment deployed to meet the enemy, my regiment holding the right. I threw forward some mounted men to feel the enemy's position and bring on the action.

When my advance came in sight of a squad of the enemy a piece of our artillery was fired, when the enemy fled. Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale was then sent forward with two of my companies. He advanced north of Coldwater, and found but few of the enemy's stragglers, who fled on his approach. We then moved north of Coldwater, and encamped at Thompson's farm that night.

Next day (October 8) we moved to Salem, the enemy being near that place, and retired under orders. When we arrived at our camp of the night before I was ordered to return to the support of Colonel Hovis, who was pressed by the enemy, he having brought up the rear. I returned and found Colonel Hovis about 4 miles west of Salem. Some little time was consumed in putting this regiment in motion, when I moved to attack the enemy in front, while the balance of the command, under General Chalmers, attacked the rear of the enemy.