ment and mortification, two of my best line officers were wounded by the enemy, viz, Captain Uley Burk, Company I, in hand, and Lieutenant Alexander, of same company, in left arm [neither of which is considered dangerous], and was thus engage when General Thayer in person directed my color-guard to advance and plant our colors upon the enemy's works, which was promptly done. At the same time General Thayer gave orders for the regiment to come inside the breastworks and prevent straggling parties retreating by their left rear. Soon after, the entire regiment was detailed to conduct the prisoners up to and inside of the fortifications, where General Sherman had them taken up to his headquarters. This latter duty proved more arduous than it should have been but for the tardiness of the regiments detailed by order of the general commanding to be placed under Colonel Grier, of the Seventy-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, who had orders to take charge of the prisoners for the night. It was after midnight before the regiment was relieved. There is nothing further which I deem my duty to mention save that both officers and men generally acted well for new troops. I might mention with great propriety to you a few striking instances of cool and commendable courage displayed by some of my men, they having fallen under my immediate notice during the action; but I forbear mentioning any save one, and that is the case of James M. Smith, private of Company C, a single young man, not yet arrived at his majority, who has been doing the duties of adjutant for some time past, owing to the indisposition of the adjutant. I have been familiarly conversant with him for the last two months, and find him to be a young man of irreproachable moral character and one altogether deserving of public confidence. His conduct on the battle-field in the late engagement was such as to secure implicit confidence in his courage and ability, and to justify the belief that he is entirely capable of filling a more important position than he now does.

Hoping this will meet with your approval, I remain, colonel, your obedient servant,

W. M. G. TORRENCE,

Lieutenant-Colonel Thirtieth Iowa Volunteers.

Colonel CHARLES H. ABBOTT.

Number 33. Report of Brigadier General David Stuart, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Post Arkansas, Ark., January 14, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, on Saturday and Sunday, 10th and 11th instant, before the Post of Arkansas:

The division was debarked on Saturday morning, and about noon took up the march, in rear of General Steele's division, for its position in front of the enemy. At the first rifle-pits, near a mile from our place of debarkation, our advanced line encountered the enemy in small force of skirmishers, operating probably as a rear guard of the force we discovered retreating toward the fort. As we reached the rifle-pits we were in plain view of the fort, and as our batteries advanced along the line the enemy opened with shell in several well-directed shots. The artillery, however, ran the gauntlet around the point of the intrenchments at full speed, and took the road under cover of the woods with