unguarded. During Sunday night enemy again moved out on this unguarded road, cross the ford at Stony Point at 3 o'clock Monday morning, and when fired upon by my vedettes, charged upon them at full sped, endeavoring to run them off the road and thus surprised and capture reserve pickets, which would have left my camp at their mercy. In this, however, they were foiled by the vigilance of Captain Ambrose, commanding the outposts and retired at great haste in direction of Baton Rouge.

At daylight I moved forward with Company E (Captain Corcoran) of my regiment, and reconnoitered in person the various fords and approaches from Spiller's Church to Gaunce's Mills. Sent a reliable lieutenant with two men to the west bank of the river in direction of Sandy Creek bridge, to co-operate with pickets at that point and to keep me advised from that quarter. I at the same time wrote to Lieutenant Naul, Third Louisiana, commanding pickets on west side of the river, to move forward from Sam. Lee's to Sandy Creek Bridge, and if enemy advanced, to tear up bridge and defend that position stubbornly (having from thirty to forty men under him), and should he be forced to fall back, to do so by roads leading to my position. These instructions were not obeyed, the pickets retiring to the woods when fired upon by the enemy on Tuesday night leaving the road to Stony Point again unguarded. I, however, received a courier from Lieutenant Naul informing that the enemy had driven in his pickets at Sandy Creek and had passed up at about 9 p. m. The night being very dark and roads difficult, his courier did not reach me until 12 p. m. Immediately on receiving this information I sent orders to Captain Corcoran to fall back from his position near Mr. Merritt's to Silver Creek, one mile and a half in my front to prevent being cut off by road from Gaunce's Mills; but before this order reached him he had been twice charged by the enemy, and while endeavoring to form a third time was charged again, losing one man killed, several wounded, and his company dispersed. Two men of this company who escaped came to me in great haste and reported enemy still advancing. It was now about 1 a. m., and supposing their object to be the surprise of my camp, I immediately sent forward Captain T. W. Brown with forty men to form in ambuscade at Siver Creek, on the road leading up to my position. The balance built 300 yards in front of this line, to deceive the enemy as to location of my camp. At daylight scouts reported enemy halted on Greensburg road and building fires; force estimated at between 700 and 800, with two pieces of artillery. I subsequently learned that the force was much smaller and without artillery. It having rained heavily from 12 p. m. until daylight and supposing the enemy waiting for daylight to attack me, I ordered off my wagon train up east side of the river, with directions to cross at Thompson's Bridge, and removed my command to the west side of the river, crossing at Williams' Ford, leaving a company, under reliable officer to hold the ford, and formed line of battle at Price's blacksmith shop, covering both roads, and with Norwood's squadron in ambuscade in my front, on road leading to Greenwell Springs while a scout was sent out on the Greensburg road to ascertain if enemy had moved in that direction.

While in this position about 7.30 a. m. Wednesday, 16th instant, i received a dispatch from Colonel Ogden, dated, at Clinton, 5 a. m., stating that enemy had surprised his camp and were then between Clinton and Liberty. I then, in accordance with instructions received from district headquarters, moved up the west side of the river, in order,