Ohio Cavalry, as guard to General McPherson's column on the return to corinth.

Major Love, with a battalion of the Second Iowa Cavalry and two companies of the Third Michigan cavalry, commanded by Captain Reese, the whole under Colonel Ingersoll, eleventh Illinois Cavalry, remained during the pursuit as apportion of the garrison at Corinth, and were employed on picket and patrol duty.

Lieutenant Stoddard, who was charged with the superintendence of the courier line between headquarters and the advance, deserves mention for his able management and his men for long exposure and fatigue and for their cheerful and prompt performance of duty as dispatch bearers.

Colonel Lee, with the Second Brigade, was ordered to move on the road south of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad to protect the left flank of our pursuing columns; came up with the enemy's rear guard at Kossuth, drove them from the town, and was skirmishing continually, always routing them, till he reached Ruckersville, at which place he captured 20 prisoners. There met an advance, under General McPherson; headed this advance column and moved on toward Ripley. Skirmishing ensued from that point until he reached Ripley. the enemy formed there different lines of battle, which were successively broken by our troops. Colonel Lee was the first to enter Ripley, and after heavy skirmishing occupied the town, completely routing the enemy, capturing 75 prisoners, and held the town until our main column came up. During this pursuit Colonel Lee's troops captured 140 prisoners.

On the morning of the 5th Colonel Hatch, with his command and a section of artillery, was ordered to move on the road north of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad; scouted north 5 miles, thence west 14 miles to the Tuscumbia, and thence up to the old State Line road. At 11 o'clock received orders to return to Corinth; from thence he marched toward Rienzi; was detained building bridge at Rorey's Mill; from there skirmished 15 miles with the enemy on road to Ripley; removed obstructions; cut road through Hatchie Swamp and built bridges.

After reaching Ripley, on the morning of the 9th, made a strong reconnaissance 17 miles south of ripley, discovering that the enemy were moving toward Hickory Flats. At Ripley the cavalry was again massed by the junction of the brigades under Colonels Lee and Hatch, and were employed in making extensive scouts toward Orizaba, Hickory Flats, and Salem, and, remaining, occupied the vicinity of Ripley until our main force had returned to their camps at Corinth. Then following twenty-four hours after the rear guard of the army, returned by two main routes. Colonel Lee, with his brigade, moving south of the Ripley and Rienzi roads, returned through Rienzi to Corinth, Colonel Hatch, with the First Brigade, passing quietly north and to the west of Ruckersville through Jonesborough and thence via Crum's Mill to Corinth.

It is due to the cavalry to remark that, although the nature of their service in this wooded country is such that they are frequently denied a participation in general engagements, yet those whose praise and approbation is most to be desired do not lose sight of the invaluable services performed by them. No service is more arduous, yet, with patience and even a spirit of indifference to fatigue, has their labor been performed weeks without the shelter of a tent of the ordinary comforts of camp life. They have traversed the country far and near, and, never remaining long enough in one position to let their where-abouts