Numbers 7.

Report of Captain Ambrose A. Blount, Seventeenth Ohio Battery.

ARKANSAS POST, ARK., January 13, 1863.

SIR: In the engagement of Sunday, the 11th instant, three guns of my battery were posted in the earthwork, prepared for the purpose, directly east of the lower end of the enemy's fort and about 600 or 700 yards distant. The balance of my battery was posted about 200 yards to the rear, there not being room in the work to employ more guns. I fired 120 rounds of shell and canister. I had no men killed or wounded, and but one horse slightly wounded by a musket-ball.

I have the honor to be, with much respect, very truly, your obedient servant,

A. A. BLOUNT,

Captain Seventeenth Ohio Battery.

Brigadier General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding First Div., First Army Corps, Army of the Miss.

Numbers 8.

Report of Brigadier General Stephan G. Burbridge, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION,
THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

Post Arkansas, Ark., January 14, 1863.

I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the engagement of the 10th and 11th instant, which resulted in the capture of Fort Post Arkansas, together with the whole contending force:

In compliance with orders to that effect my whole command, including the Seventeenth Ohio Battery, disembarked January 10 about 12 m. We moved up the road, having received orders to follow Major-General Sherman's corps. They finding the route impracticable returned, and we were ordered to follow the road leading up the river bank, which we did until we reached the first line of outer works of the enemy, which by that time had been evacuated; thence we bore to the right through the swamps till within about half a mile of the fort.

About sunset I was ordered to throw my brigade into line of battle. I then found that owing to a misapprehension of orders only one regiment (Sixtieth Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Colonel R. Owen) had followed. I immediately sent back orders for the rest of the brigade to move up, and becoming impatient rode back myself and brought them up at double-quick. I ordered the Sixtieth and Sixteenth Indiana to the right and front with the Twenty-third Wisconsin, Colonel J. J. Guppey, in their rear as a reserve, with orders to the former two regiments to skirmish well to their front. I ordered the Sixty-seventh Indiana, Colonel Emerson, and Ninety-sixth Ohio, Colonel Vance, on the left, and the Eighty-third Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin, in their rear, with the same instructions as those given to the right of the brigade.

The command bivouacked in line almost in direct range of the guns