the left of the enemy, followed by that of General Thayer, and my brigade was held in reserve, but ordered to close up with the brigade of Thayer, within supporting distance.

It gives me pleasure to say that the duty assigned to my brigade was performed with cheerfulness and alacrity. The officers and men moved forward with promptitude and remained steadily in the positions assigned them, under the orders of General Steele, until the enemy surrendered the place and his entire force. The brunt of the action on the enemy's left fell upon the brigades of Hovey and Thayer, and I have but few casualties to report in my brigade. The battery of Captain Hoffman, Fourth Ohio, attached to my brigade, which was placed in position under the orders of Brigadier-General Steele, was well served throughout the action and did great execution.

I transmit herewith a list of casualties.

Respectfully,

FRANK P. BLAIR,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain J. W. PADDOC,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-I omitted, through inadvertence, in my report of the action of the 29th ultimo at Chickasaw Bayou, in Mississippi, to allude to the efficient service rendered by my staff, and especially by Lieutenant-Colonel Peckham and Lieutenants Maguire and Tompkins, and I beg leave in this place to allude to their services on that occasion as well as on the present. The report of Dr. Franklin on both occasions shows how invaluable his services were.

Numbers 28.

Report of Brigadier General Charles E. Hovey, U. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
On board's steamer Continental, January 13, 1863.

CAPTAIN: Pursuant to orders from General Steele the Second Brigade debarked on the morning of the 10th instant at Notrib's plantation, about 1 mile below Arkansas Post, and marched in a northwesterly course, with the view of passing to the rear of the fort and gaining the river above.

The brigade consists of the Seventeenth, Twelfth, and Third Regiments of Missouri Infantry; the Twenty-fifth and Thirty-first Regiments of Iowa Infantry; the Seventy-sixth Regiment of Ohio Infantry, and the First Missouri Horse Artillery.

Having proceeded half a mile, to near the woods, the enemy's pickets were discovered in force, and Captain Landgraeber was ordered forward and dispersed them with a few shell from his howitzers. Bearing to the right and following an old wood road the brigade soon reached an apparently impassable bayou, but a crossing was at last effected and the route pursued for several miles. Small squads of the enemy's cavalry hovered in our advance, and several were captured.

About 2 o'clock the column was ordered to return to the landing where it arrived just before dark and bivouacked for the night. Hardly