Louisiana Infantry, African descent, killed, 2; Second Lieutenant Welch and 7 privates wounded (some mortally). First Mississippi Cavalry, African descent, wounded, 1 (slightly).

Respectfully,

JAS. H. COATES,

Colonel 11th Ill. Inf., and Commanding Land Forces, Yazoo Expedition.

Lieutenant Colonel W. T. CLARK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

I would further report that one of the transports of the expedition (the Platte Valley) has been disabled by running into a snag, and I will be obliged to send her back to Vicksburg at the first opportunity.

Yours, &c.,

JAS. H. COATES,

Colonel Eleventh Illinois Infantry.

HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, ON BOARD STEAMER DES MOINES,
Yazoo River, near Satartia, February 6, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to respectfully continue my report of the movements of this expedition to this date.

On the morning of the 4th instant, at 4.30 o'clock, I left our landing near Satartia and proceeded without interruption up the Yazoo until, when opposite the bluffs where we had engaged the enemy the day before, the enemy opened a heavy fire upon the transports (having permitted the advance gun-boats to pass unmolested), which was returned briskly and I think effectually by my men from behind hastily constructed barricades composed of knapsacks, boxes of hard bread, &c.

The loss on our side from this fire is as follows, viz: Steamer Des Moines, right wing Eleventh Illinois Infantry, 1 man wounded severely in ankle; Sioux City, left wing Eleventh Illinois Infantry, 3 men wounded severely; steamer J. H. Lacey, right wing Eighth Louisiana Infantry, 1 man mortally wounded. The rear gun-boat opened with well-directed shell against the enemy, which dispersed them before the transports could be landed.

We then passed on up the river, arriving in the afternoon at Goosey's Mill, about 4 miles below Yazoo City, having in the transit stopped at several plantations and secured about 200 bales of cotton, which, as received on boats, were constructed into barricades and used for protection to boilers. We also secured at a deserted plantation 9 head of beef-cattle and 12 head of mules.

At 9.30 p.m. the steamer Hastings made her appearance with clearances, passes, &c., from the Treasury Department, and is now consequently attached to our fleet. She had also been fired into at the same point our transports were (near Liverpool) and the watchman of the boat seriously wounded.

I remained at Goosey's Mill during the day of February 5, and at about 11 a.m. the steamer Emma Boyd arrived, and reported as dispatch-boat for the gun-boat fleet.

Two gun-boats having been ordered to approach Yazoo City for the purpose of reconnoitering, found the enemy at that point in force; discovered also five guns in position and one other in course