Numbers 4. Report of Colonel John S. Scott, First Louisiana Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST LOUISIANA CAVALRY,
Clinton, La., November 23, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the late raid of the enemy:

On Tuesday night, November 15, about midnight, as I was returning from Woodville to this place, in crossing the road at Dubois' Cross-Roads, ten miles north of this, where the road from Port Hudson to Liberty crosses the Woodville and Clinton road, I learned that a column of the enemy, 300 or 400 strong, had just passed up in the direction of one of General Hodge's cavalry camps. I pushed on to Clinton, notified the post officers there, and hurried our the camp of my regiment, three miles from Clinton on Liberty road. Soon after riding out of Clinton the enemy came in. I immediately moved my wagons and about sixty men of my regiment (the rest being on short furloughs to obtain clothes, &c., preparatory to going to Central Mississippi) eight miles from Clinton on Liberty road, and turned off to McAdams' Bridge, a point on the Amite River ten miles from Clinton. From this point I sent back a scout to watch the movements of the enemy.

At 3 p. m. I learned that Brigadier-General Lee, with about 1,200 men, had passed through Clinton and was moving toward Liberty. In order to save my train I then moved on the road toward Osyka. Camped that night on road leading from Clinton to Osyka, about sixteen miles from Liberty. Late that evening I learned from Colonel Gober that a column of the enemy, 300 or 400 strong, had passed up that afternoon from the direction of Greensburg, going toward Liberty.

On the morning of the 17th Lieutenant-Colonel Ogden, who had collected some 60 or 70 men, and Colonel Gober, with 165, reported to me and asked that I should take command of them. At first I declined to do so, for the reason that I knew nothing of General Hodge's plans and by so doing might interfere with his arrangements. They both assured me that they had heard nothing from General Hodge for two days, and did not know what his plans were or where to join him; they only knew that rumor said that the troops under General Hodge]'s immediate command had been scattered by the enemy's advance. They further urged that only concert of action could insure the safety of our trains and the little command which we had. I then concluded to assume command, and after consultation with the above named officers, determined to leave the wagons, with a small guard, on some out-of-the way road, and with the few troops under my command to go in search of the enemy

That night (the 17th) we recrossed the Amite and marched in the direction of Liberty on the Clinton and Liberty road.

On the morning of the 18th, on approaching Liberty, we found the enemy's pickets within two miles of that place. My advance guard charged and drove them to town. The enemy immediately sent out a regiment of cavalry, which we met and handsomely repulsed. Moving on to Liberty we engaged their main body, commanded by Brigadier-General Lee in person for near half an hour. The skirmish was quite brisk, but we were compelled to fall back for the want of ammunition,