River; dispersed a party of bushwhackers, supposed to be some of Dailey's men, 4 miles beyond and north of Wolf River. We encamped the night of the 22nd at Shelby Depot, in company with the Fifty-fifth Illinois, Colonel Stuart commanding. On the 23d, on approaching the bridge over the Loosahatchie north of Shelby with my command (Colonel Stuart's command remaining at the depot) we discovered it on fire, and were fired upon by Burrow's guerrillas, who were secreted on the opposite side of the river. I dismounted one battalion of my command to fight on foot, who promptly sought the protection of the bridge and timber on this side of the river and who succeeded in soon driving the rebels from their covert. I then crossed over with a portion of my men on foot, at the same time sending word to Colonel Stuart for buckets and axes to put out the fire and repair the bridge for the crossing of the whole force.

After a short skirmish with the rebels they mounted their horses and scattered in the woods, the largest portion passing to the right up the bottom. As soon as the bridge was repaired we crossed over and took the same direction. We came upon the enemy again and scattered them in every direction through the timber, killing, wounding, and taking some prisoners.

Hearing of a force in the neighborhood of Hickory we proceeded through the bottom and came upon a party of them near the bridge north of that place, drove them hastily to that point, capturing Burroughs' quartermaster and scattering the detachment in every direction. We then recrossed to the north side of the Loosahatchie again and moved toward Galloway Switch, and when within 2 miles of that place at the bridge across the Beaver Creek, we came upon the enemy, supposed to be about 300 strong. They fled at our approach and we pursued them beyond Galloway Switch, constantly firing upon their rear, killing wounding and capturing some of them, and they leaving marked evidence of their hasty retreat, the ground being strewn with shot-guns, saddle-bags, blankets, hats, and an occasional horse without a rider.

By this time, it being about 6 o'clock p.m., and by my instructions having to be at Randolph the next morning, I returned through Galloway Switch and then turned north at a point 1 mile this side, going near Concordia, then turning to the northeast, and after recrossing Beaver Creek about 9 o'clock p.m. we came upon a detachment of Green's men, of Bensom's battalion, who had stopped for the night. We surprised and captured 4 of them.

Proceeding on the Somerville and Randolph road we encamped 2 miles east of Portersville; dashed into that place at daylight next morning, but found that Scales' company had disbanded a day or two before, the captain going to Holly Springs, and that Faulkner's command had moved on the Hatchie, near Brownsville. After scouring the country in the vicinity of Portersville we moved on to Randolph, arriving there at about 11 o'clock a.m. and found a detachment of the Forty-eighth Ohio awaiting our arrival. With the aid of a passing boat I embarked my command on it and the boats already provided and arrived at Memphis at about 10 o'clock p.m. the 24th.

The country in the neighborhood of Randolph is almost entirely deserted. The face of the country is hilly and broken and heavily timbered. The bottom land in the vicinity of Loosahatchie River and Beaver Creek is very densely wooded and the banks of the streams are generally steep and miny. The bridges are poorly constructed. We killed in the