tured a wagon and killed the horses of this men; they are dressed in our uniform. I have sent General Smith's mounted men after them. My understanding was that John E. Smith's division was at McPhersonville; he certainly cannot be, or the rebels could not be on this road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANK P. BLAIR, JR.,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
In the Field, January 30, 1865.

[Major General F. P. BLAIR,

Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:]

GENERAL: The Major-general commanding directs me to say that General Logan's headquarters are at McPhersonville. Several communications have been received from there this afternoon. He suggests that these depredations may have been committed by some of our own men.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A.m. VAN DYKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, S. C., January 30, 1865.

Captain A.m. VAN DYKE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department and Army of the Tennessee:

CAPTAIN: General Force reports that he sent two regiments to the Salkehatchie, which they succeeded in reaching by wading through a swamp four feet dep. They build fires and chopped timber, making as much noise as possible to attract the enemy's attention, but failed to see any of them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANK P. BLAIR, JR.,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
January 30, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel William E. STRONG,

Assistant Inspector-General and Chief of Staff:

COLONEL: General Blair requests me to give you the result of the reconnaissance sent to McTier's Mill, about three miles in advance of our present position. The advance (cavalry) first struck the enemy about half a mile this side of the mill, and drove them without any trouble beyond the stream and swamp. As near as I could determine from information given by citizens there were less then 100 rebels all told; we did not see more than twenty or thirty. There has been a force of about 100 encamped near that place for some time, consisting of three companies of South Carolina cavalry and one company of Wheeler's scouts, under Captains Smart, Lowry, and Campbell; all under Colonel Colcock. They were under orders to cross the river at Broxton's Bridge, about twenty miles above this point, and move down the river toward Salkehatchie bridge, whenever we attempted