entered Vicksburg and embarked at once on the steamer E. H. Fairchild, of quartermaster's department, Captain Duncan. Five hundred and more rebel prisoners of war on board were placed in my charge, and twenty-five men of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry and one squadron of the Second New Jersey Cavalry were also embarked. Awaiting the shipment and provisions of these extra troops, our boat did not leave port until 4 p. m. of the 6th instant. On the evening of the 8th instant we reached the mouth of White River, where we renewed our rations and remained until 9 o'clock of the 9th instant. Arriving at Memphis on the 11th instant I received orders to report with my detachment to Brevet Major-General Upton at Louisville, Ky. The remainder of the regiment is already at that post, and the whole command will be united once more upon my arrival there.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN W. NOBLE,

Colonel, Commanding.

General N. B. BAKER,

Adjutant-General [State of Iowa].

Numbers 5. Report of Colonel Embury D. Osband, Third U. S. Colored Cavalry, commanding Third Cavalry Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Memphis, Tenn., January 13, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Third Brigade in the recent raid from Memphis, Tenn., to Vicksburg, Miss.:

The brigade moved from Memphis, as the rear of the Cavalry Division, on the morning of December 21, 1864, with ten days' rations and 120 rounds of ammunition per man, and numbered 47 officers and 1,679 enlisted men. At noon of the 24th of December, being at Ripley, Miss., I sent, by order of the general commanding, 200 men of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Captain A. T. Search commanding, to cut the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Moving directly east, about midnight they cut the railroad midway between Guntown and Baldwyn Stations. After burning two bridges and tearing up one-quarter of a mile of track they continued their march and joined the column at Ellistown at noon of the 25th, having captured 7 prisoners and destroyed 24 stand of arms. On the night of the 25th of December the brigade encamped three miles from Tupelo. By order of the general commanding I sent forward the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Otto Funke commanding, who, after a night of most unusual exertion, completely destroyed the railroad bridge over Old Town Creek, 900 feet long, and tore up half mile of track.

On the 26th I sent the Third U. S. Colored Cavalry down he railroad form Tupelo to Verona, the Fourth Illinois Cavalry from Verona to Shannon, and the Second Wisconsin Cavalry from Shannon as far below as they were able to go that night. From Tupelo to Shannon about 2,500 feet of bridges and trestle-work were destroyed.