had hoped of them. There was no skulking displayed and no racing to the rear.

I received Major-General Sherman's order on the evening of January 2 to withdraw my brigade and march it to the boats that night. By 10 o'clock all our artillery was withdrawn. The infantry was quietly marched. I remained at the ford of the bayou till 5 o'clock in the morning, with companies of the Fifty-seventh Ohio (under Colonel Rice)

as a rear guard, when I withdrew them, and reached the landing about sunrise.

The casualties in the brigade were 11 killed, 40 wounded, and 4 missing; aggregate, 55.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. STUART,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

J. H. HAMMOND,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 10.

Reports of Brigadier General George W. Morgan, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division, of operations December 26-29, 1862.

HDQRS. THIRD DIV., RIGHT WING, 13TH ARMY CORPS,
In Field in front of Chickasaw Bluffs, Miss., January 1, 1863.

SIR: On the 26th ultimo, in obedience to the orders of Major-General Sherman, this division effected a landing above Johnson's and in front of Lake's plantations, on Chickasaw Bayou.

Without awaiting the disembarkation of my artillery I directed Colonel De Courcy to push forward and make reconnaissance in front for the distance of 1 1\2 miles. Near Blake's [Lake's], De Courcy discovered a portion of the enemy and threw forward his skirmishers to feel him. On learning that he had artillery, De Courcy, having effected his reconnaissance, prudently retired.

On the following morning I advance with my division toward Lake's where I found the enemy in considerable force. Anxious to effect the reconnaissance in a difficult and complicated field I delayed the attack as long as propriety justified, but finally ordered De Country to advance and drive the enemy from his position, which was strong. I ordered up Rapidan succession the brigades of Colonels Lidsey and Sheldon, with the batteries of Foster and Lanphere. The attack was spirited and the defense stubborn; but after a contest of hours the enemy was driven to his strongholds amid the Chickasaw Bluffs, which he succeeded in gaining at a considerable loss of killed and wounded.

We buried his dead upon the field, but the exception of a dozen of desperate cases, he conveyed his wounded from the field. The enemy had now been driven 1 1\2 miles, and night coming on we bivouacked on the field.

By order of the commander-in-chief Steele's division was to attack the enemy's extreme right, while my division assailed his center, and the First and Second Division were to attack his left. Unfortunately Steele became involved a maze of bayous and lagoons, and a day was thus lost.