[First indorsement.]

FEBRUARY 2, 1864.

Respectfully submitted for the information of the President, who may feel interested to learn the cause of General Vance's capture. It seems to have resulted from disobedience of orders by another and lack of due precaution by himself.

J. A. SEDDON.

[Second indorsement.]

WAR OFFICE:

The office being in captivity, no action is practicable which seem proper.

J. D.

JANUARY 14, 1864.-Scout from Collierville, Tenn.

Report of Colonel Albert G. Brackett, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, commanding brigade.

COLLIERVILLE, TENN., January 14, 1864.

Dispatch received. I sent out a scout to-day under Major Bishop. He has returned. Went as far as Duddy's Mill on the Coldwater. On his return went within 2 miles of Quinn's Mill. No enemy there since the 50 or 60 were in this section yesterday. They returned south of the Coldwater last evening. No indication of an enemy. Major Gifford killed 1 and wounded 7 of those [who] fired upon the train yesterday.

A. G. BRACKETT,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

General GRIERSON.

JANUARY 14, 1864.-Scout to Baldwin's Ferry, Big Black River, Miss.

Report of Major James Ketner, First Kansas Mounted Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST KANSAS MOUNTED INFANTRY,
January 15, 1864.

COLONEL: In obedience to your orders of January 14, I took command of Companies A, B, F, and G, in all about 40 men, and proceeded with them to Baldwin's Ferry for the purpose, as ordered, of destroying any and all flat-boats, ferries, or other means of crossing the river that I might find at or in the vicinity of said ferry. On my way to the ferry, and while there, I saw no signs or indications of any enemy, and in fact saw nothing by which the rebels or any one else could cross the river. I then divided my command and sent Lieutenant and Adjt. John A. Henry with 10 men up the river. About 1 mile above the ferry he discovered a place where citizens or others had been floating cotton across the river, and about one half mile farther up he discovered on the opposite side of the river a small skiff half full of water and evidently not in use by any once. At Webb's he discovered 6 bales of the cotton that had been floated across the river from Baldwin's Ferry. Both up and down the river there is no road, so that we were compelled to pick our way through undergrowth, over fallen trees, and through swamp and almost impassable marshes. With the remaining 30 men I started down the river, but could not get to the river at any point, and after traveling