A soldier's dearest meed is the consciousness that his duties to his country have been well and worthily performed, and next to this is the reflection that his conduct is rightfully appreciated by his country and his superiors in command.

The commanding general is happy to know that this meed of commendation was never more nobly earned or better deserved than by the soldiers of this division, and no greener laurels have been won in this great struggle by the hardy sons of the West than those of the cavalry division of the Army of the Mississippi.

By order of General Granger:

R. O. SELFRIDGE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Number 3. Report of Colonel Philip H. Sheridan, Second Michigan Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, Cavalry Division.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION, Camp on King's Creek, Miss., July 2, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your instructions, I established my brigade, consisting of the Second Michigan and Second Iowa Cavalry Regiments, at Booneville, Miss., June 28, and threw out strong pickets on the numerous roads approaching that place.

On the morning of July 1 a cavalry command of between 4,000 and 5,000 men, under General Chalmers, advanced toward Booneville on two converging roads. The head of their column on the Booneville and Blackland road came in contact with my pickets 3 1/2 miles southwest of Booneville. This picket, under command of Lieutenant Scranton, Second Michigan Cavalry, fell back slowly, taking advantage of every tree to fire from, until they came to the point where the second road on which the enemy was advancing intersected this road. At this point our pickets had a strong position and good cover, and were presently re-enforced by a second company and subsequently by three companies more, all of Second Michigan, under command of Captain Campbell.

The enemy had up to this time only shown the heads of his columns. At this point our resistance was so great that the enemy was obliged to deploy two regiments on the right and left of the road. Information was then sent to me that the enemy was in force. I sent word to Captain Campbell to hold the enemy until I could support him, and if necessary to fall back slowly. Previous to this time I had stationed one battalion Second Iowa in Booneville. I then directed Colonel Hatch to leave one company of his regiment in camp and take the balance of his regiment and the battalion in Booneville, except two saber companies, and form in rear of Captain Campbell, cover his flanks, and support him by a charge should the enemy break his lines.

While this was being done the enemy attempted to drive Captain Campbell from his position by a charge through the open field. In this they did not succeed, but were gallantly repulsed with great loss, my men reserving their fire until they were within 25 or 30 yards, when they opened on them with their Colt's revolving rifles. They then commenced turning the flanks of Captain Campbell's position, when he retired to another strong position in his rear. As soon as the enemy saw him retiring they again charged him, but he succeeded in repelling them, by collecting his men together in groups, when a hand-to-hand