the fact of there having been guerrillas at the party. One McCrairy supposed to be loyal, informs us that there were certainly five guerrillas there, or at least strange men that he knows nothing of. If any innocent person was hurt, all I can say is, it was from their being in bad company. My having been ordered there to capture a party of guerrillas and finding so large a crowd of men there who fired upon us first, it was but natural that we should return the fire, and if any innocent person was hurt I cannot think that it is my fault, having obeyed the orders I received, and performed my duty. On the road back on the night of the 10th about two miles this side of Triune in turning a hill we encountered a band of seven mounted guerrillas about 600 yards off. We gave chase and at one time nearly overtook them, but, they being on fresh horses and ours completely jaded, after a chase of four miles I abandoned them and returned to Nashville. I brought in four prisoners, but upon investigation I turned two of them loose, retaining the other one of whom, E. F. Haynes, being charged with guerrillaing and pointing out Union men and urging upon Hood's men to burn their horses and hang them; the other, Albert Rutledge, being charged as accessory to the murder of a Union man named Hibbs. In conversing with the citizens I found but very little Union sentiment, a disregard for their oaths and a disposition to harbor and protect the guerrillas, and especially so in the case of the Widow Patterson, nine miles from Nashville, who has a son marauding in her neighborhood.

I have the honor, major, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. CLINTON,

Captain, Tenth Tennessee Infantry.

Major POLK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

FEBRUARY 10, 1865.-Skirmish in Johnson's Crook, Ga.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.-Major General James B. Stedman, U. S. Army, commanding District of the Eatowah.

Numbers 2.-Colonel Felix Prince Salm, Sixty-eighth New York Infantry.

Numbers 1. Report of Major General James B. Steedman, U. S. Army, commanding District of the Etowah.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE EATOWAH,
Chattanooga, February 12, 1865.

Colonel Felix Prince Salm, Sixty-eighth New York Volunteers, surprised Witherspoon's company, in Johnson's Crook, at 2 a. m. of the 10th instant. He killed 3, wounded 5, captured Captain Countiss, Twenty-first Georgia Regiment, and 15 men, amongst them Witherspoon's brother; 30 stand of arms, and 23 horses. Colonel Salm returned to camp without the loss of a man.

JAS. B. STEEDMAN,

Major-General.

Brigadier General W. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.