instant our division marched to Starke's Landing and went aboard transports. The next day about noon we disembarked at a point about six miles from Mobile, and marched to within about a mile of the city, where we encamped for the night. The next day we marched through Mobile and proceeded to Whistler, a station on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, where we found a party of rebel cavalry. After a brisk skirmish they retreated. The regiment is at present encamped at Whistler, Ala., about six miles from Mobile.

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

W. C. HOLBROOK,

Colonel Seventy Vermont Veteran Volunteers.

PETERS T. WASHBURN,

Adjutant and Inspector General, State of Vermont.

No. 39. Report of Captain Riley B. Stearns, Seventh Vermont Infantry, of operations March 30-31.

HDQRS. SEVENTH VERMONT VETERAN VOLUNTEERS,
Near Mobile, Ala., May 17, 1865.

PETER T. WASHBURN,

Adjutant and Inspector General, State of Vermont:

GENERAL: I have the honor herewith to transmit the official report of Captain R. B. Stearns, who was captured, together with 21 men of my regiment, at the siege of Spanish Fort, near Mobile, Ala. Captain Stearns is one of the most efficient officers in my regiment, and the gallantry of himself and the men I deem worthy of record.

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

W. C. HOLBROOK,

Colonel Seventh Vermont Veteran Volunteers.

[Inclosure.]

CAMP PAROLE,

near Vicksburg, Miss., April 16, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions from regimental and brigade headquarters, I relieved Captain Parker on the skirmish line in front of my command on the evening of the 30th ultimo. Nothing of interest transpired during the night. The enemy fired at our position several times, which was returned by my men. Soon after daylight on the 31st the enemy opened upon me with shell from a gun on one of the inland faces of the fort at our extreme left, and I soon found that they had got our range admirably. I had during the night constructed rude bomb-proofs, and during the shelling ordered my men into them. The shelling soon stopped, and all was quiet on the line until about 12 m., when the same gun again opened fire. The shelling was now so terrific that I determined to fall back a short distance as soon as it became dark, and dispatched Corporal Crothers to regimental headquarters for instructions. I sent word by him that I expected to be assaulted before dark, and requested that the gun which was annoying me be silenced, or that the enemy's line in my front be shelled, and I would fall back under the fire. At about 2 p.m. the enemy fired the slash of trees, &c., covering the ground on the right of

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