all, and the men turned out cheerfully to the performance of whatever work might be before us. Soon after getting into line details for picket and guard duty were made from our regiment, amounting to two-thirds of our whole force present, and the remainder were assigned to the defense of the depot building, containing a large amount of Government stores, with instructions to "defend to the last extremity, and if overpowered fire and below up the buildings and retire to the court-house." The first part of the order we were determined to fill to the letter, which we thought would render the obeying of the latter part unnecessary. We remained at Jackson until Sunday evening, the 21st, employed as on the first day. In the mean time large re-enforcements had arrived, and the rebels, being satisfied with the feint upon Jackson, proceeded northward, and destroyed a large part of the railroad in their route, taking all the towns and nearly all the posts for guard and defense of the road from Jackson to near Columns. On Sunday evening we were ordered forward with the Thirty-ninth Iowa and two Illinois regiments toward Humboldt, under command of General Haynie, reaching one of the destroyed bridges about 8 o'clock in the evening, turned out, and after pickets were placed, laid down upon the ground to obtain what rest and sleep circumstances would permit. We rebuilt the bridge on Monday, and that night reached Humboldt. My command was ordered back to Forked Deer River Bridge, 3 or 4 miles from Humboldt, being assured by the general in command that we would be attacked before morning. No rebels having appeared, we were relieved in the morning and again send forward in the advance with the Engineer Corps, commanded by Major Tweeddalle, arriving at Trenton on the 26th. Here we remained twenty-four hours. Having procured flour, the men were busily engaged in making it into bread, as that article could not be obtained from the commissary department. We were ordered to subsist upon the country, and as the people seemed to have an abundant supply we helped ourselves without much reluctance, the men facing rather sumptuously. On the 28th we reached Rutherford, and the South Obion, 2 miles beyond Kenton, the 2nd day of January; Major Tweeddale's engineers with our aid having repaired substantially the road thus far. Approaching the working party on the Columbus side within 7 or 8 miles, we were relieved from further road duty by General Haynie on the 3d, reaching Union City the same day, and thence by Columbus and Cairo arrived at Davenport on the evening of the 7th of January, 1863.

Very respectfully,

J. P. COULTER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Twelfth Regiment Iowa Vols.

Number 63. Reports of Major General Edward O. C. Ord, U. S. Army, commanding detachment Army of West Tennessee, of engagement at Hatchie Bridge.

HOSPITAL NEAR DAVIS' BRIDGE,

October 5, 1862-2.10 p.m.

We have been fighting all a.m. and have driven the enemy across Davis' Bridge, on the Hatchie; they are contesting the ground at every