NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 4, 1864.-Expedition from Vicksburg to Yazoo City, Miss., and skirmish at Big Black Bridge (November 27), and action at Concord Church (December 1).

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.-Major General Edward R. S. Canby, U. S. Army, commanding Military Division of West Mississippi.

Numbers 2.-Major General Napoleon J. T. Dana, U. S. Army, commanding Districts of West Tennessee and Vicksburg.

Numbers 3.-Co. Embury D. Osband, Third U. S. Colored Cavalry, commanding expedition.

Numbers 4.-Major Nicholas H. Dale, Second Wisconsin Cavalry.

Numbers 5.-Colonel John Griffith, Seventeenth Arkansas Infantry (mounted), commanding brigade.

Numbers 1. Report of Major General Edward R. S. Canby, U. S. Army, commanding Military Division of West Mississippi.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., December 9, 1864.

On the 25th ultimo I reported that movements co-operative with General Sherman's operations would be made from Vicksburg and Baton Rouge for the purpose of cutting Hood's communications with Mobile.* The expedition sent from Vicksburg, and communications with 2,000 cavalry and 8 pieces of artillery, commanded by Colonel E. D. Osband, Third Colored Cavalry, returned on the 4th instant, having met with a complete success. After an admirably executed feint movement on Jackson, Miss., and makes that railroad, which was his main reliance, unavailable to him for months to come. Besides this important bridge and trestle-work, the following property was completely destroyed: 30 miles of track, wagon bridge over the Big Black, Vaughn, picket, and Goodman Stations (railroad depots and buildings), 2,600 bales of C. S. cotton, 2 locomotives, 4 cars, 4 stage coaches, 20 barrels salt, $166,000 worth of stores at Vaughn Station. The expedition was considerably harassed on its return by large bodies of the enemy's troops, but suffered no material losses, and brought back more recruits than the entire loss in effective men.

Major J. B. Cook, commanding the Third Colored Cavalry, distinguished himself and his regiment greatly by the gallantry with which the force guarding the Big Black bridge were driven off from behind their strong stockade on the opposite side of the river. our men had to charge across the bridge dismounted, with nothing but railroad ties for a path, and in the face of a sharp fire. I have announced Major Cook, in general orders, as promoted to the vacant lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment, subject to the approval of the President. General Division's expedition, which left Baton Rouge on the 27th, has not yet been heard from directly, but to judge from the meager accounts received through rebel sources, I have reason to believe that

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*See Vol. XLI, Pat IV, p. 673.

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