the supplies collected at Grand Glaize and Jacksonport and to alarm the enemy by threatening his communication with Batesville. Captain Fry executed these orders with admirable promptness and complete success.

At the same time the enemy was attacked in front. He retired in confusion to Little River, and thence retreated to the vicinity of Batesville. Brigadier General A. Rust, who had been ordered to report to me by General Van Dorn, had command of my cavalry at that time. These operations gave me a good line of defense-that of White River and its tributary, the Little Red.

Our losses did not exceed 50. The enemy lost, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, over 300, with as many arms and several wagons containing ammunition.

Skirmishing was now almost continuous and our troops were uniformly successful. Captain Alf. Johnson, commanding an unattached company of Texans, inflicted frequent defeats upon Federal scouting parties and won much distinction as a brave and skillful partisan. Upon one occasion he literally destroyed an entire Federal company. Major Chrisman, commanding an Arkansas squadron, was bold and active. Captain Rutherford, of his command, passed entirely around the Federal army, crossing White River, destroying a supply train from Missouri, and capturing a telegraph station a few miles north of Batesville, with the telegraphic correspondence of Curtis and Halleck. The former declared his situation precarious and advance impracticable without re-enforcements, and that he could not remain where he was without supplies. The latter promised both at once, saying that he would send a cavalry, brigade from Missouri, and infantry, with ample supplies, up White River.

Memphis had long since fallen and the enemy controlled the Mississippi from Saint Louis to Vicksburg, securing access for his gunboats and transports into White River. That stream afforded 10 feet of water to Devall's Bluff, 175 miles from the mouth and 60 miles east of Little Rock, with which place there is railway communication.

On June 16 a Federal fleet appeared in White River, near Saint Charles. It consisted of the iron-gunboats Saint Louis and Mound City, each mounting thirteen guns; the Lexington and Conestoga, partially iron-clad, each carrying seven guns; the gut Tiger, carrying one 24-pounder howitzer, and three transports, with between 1,000 and 1,500 infantry, under Colonel G. N. Fitch. The Maurepas was at Saint Charles, but would have been useless against the enemy's iron-clad vessels. The obstructions being incomplete, she was sunk across the channel, together with two steamboats. Two rifled 32-pounders and four field pieces were put in a battery on the bluff, manned by 79 men of the crews of the Maurepas and Pontchartrain, under Captain Dunnington, of the latter vessel. Captain Williams' armed men, 35 in number, were disposed as sharpshooters below; those not armed were sent to the rear. Captain Fry was placed in chief command.

The Federal gunboats attacked about 9 a.m. on the 17th. After an engagement of nearly three hours' duration the Mound City was blown up by a shot from our batteries and the rest retired out of range. The infantry then landed and carried the position, our little force spiking the guns and retiring up the river.

Our loss was 6 killed, 1 wounded, and 8 missing. That of the enemy was over 200. On the Mound City alone 180 perished. Captain Fry, the last to retreat, was severely wounded and made prisoner. For further particulars of the heroic conduct of this officer and of Captains