The officers and men of my command deserve great praise for the coolness they displayed and their general good conduct. No straggling or vandalism took place, no man being allowed to leave the column without permission from his commanding officer.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

A. J. HOLAHAN,

Major Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Lieutenant A. VEZIN,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 46. Report of Lieutenant Colonel William P. Hepburn, Second Iowa Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations February 11-26.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Germantown, Tenn., March 15, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following as a brief report of the action of the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, in the late expedition into Mississippi:*

In accordance to orders from the general commanding the Cavalry Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, I marched the Second Brigade, composed of the Second Iowa Cavalry, Major Coon commanding; Sixth Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Starr, commanding; Seventh Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton, commanding; Ninth Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Burgh commanding; Company K, First Illinois Light Artillery, Lieutenant Curtis commanding, and two companies of the pioneer corps, in all 2,900 strong, at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 11th of February, and effected a crossing of the Coldwater at Miller's Ford and Doty's Mill by 3 o'clock of the afternoon. The whole command bivouacked that night 8 miles southeasterly from Byhalia.

At an early hour the next day the march was resumed, and continued without incident until a point 2 miles east of Waterford was reached, when, at 8 p.m., the brigade went into camp. Four companies of the Second Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain Horton, were sent in the direction of Wyatt to communicate with Colonel McMillen.

On the morning of the 13th the march was resumed. One battalion of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, under command of Major Bishop, was sent to the railroad crossing, in the direction of Abbeville, to make a feint of crossing the Tallahatchie, and one battalion of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, commanded by Captain Webster, was sent to form a junction with Captain Horton. At 3 p.m. the brigade crossed the Tippah, at Callahan's Mills, on a bridge built by the pioneer corps, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Starr, and encamped in the vicinity of Potts' house.

The march was resumed at daylight, and the Tallahatchie crossed about 2 p.m. The brigade encamped for the night and during the next day 5 miles south of New Albany.

On the 16th, the command marched 4 miles, encamping at Johnson's plantation, 9 miles south of New Albany.

On the night of the 17th, encamped 9 miles south of Pontotoc.

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* Lieutenant-Colonel Hepburn assumed command of the brigade February 7.

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