Numbers 35. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John H. Peters, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, of operations March 21-April 22.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH IOWA CAVALRY,
Macon, Ga., April 22, 1865.

LIEUTENANT: In compliance with a circular of this date from headquarters First Brigade, Fourth Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry in the campaign just closed:

The regiment marched from Chickasaw, Ala., on the 21st day of March, with 31 officers and 687 enlisted men in the ranks, and 10 officers and 134 enlisted men belonging to the regiment on detached service, making a total aggregate of 862. The line of march led over the barren waste of pine-clad hills of North Alabama, but nothing of interest occurred until the 30th of March. On this day Companies F and L, under Major W. W. Woods, in advance of the regiment and division, skirmished over several miles before entering the village of Montevallo. In this skirmish Private Francis M. Boswell, Company F, was wounded, losing one finger. On the 31st of March near Six-Mile Creek, south of Montevallo, two regiments of the enemy attacked the column of the division on its right flank, striking Battery I, Fourth U. S. Artillery, which was marching immediately in my advance. I had here but two battalions (seven companies), the Second Battalion being rear guard of the column. I at once moved the Third Battalion, Major E. W. Dee commanding into line, and being informed by an officer of Brevet Major-General Wilson's staff that the enemy had at least one brigade in line, I ordered this battalion to dismount, and sent orders to Captain Lot Abraham, commanding First Battalion, to follow, mounted, in column of companies. I now moved forward with the dismounted line at a charge, and the enemy immediately gave way. We followed him about two miles, passing over and beyond the Selma and Montevallo Railroad. Captain Abraham, having failed to receive my order, formed his battalion, dismounted on the right of the Third Battalion, and materially assisted in routing the enemy, though his efforts were not so effective as they would have been had he received my order and been on hand to charge mounted. While engaged in the pursuit, I received orders from General Winslow to proceed immediately to the front, and had not the opportunity of learning the full extent of injury inflicted upon the enemy in this engagement, but 5 were killed and 2 captured. In my regiment 5 enlisted men were wounded, 3 severely, 2 slightly.

On the 2nd of April Companies I, F, and L, under Major Woods, were in advance, and upon approaching the outer works of the enemy at Selma were deployed on either side of the Plantersville road, and under the direction of Generals Upton and Winslow, drove the enemy into his inner works, where they charged, and carrying these works captured a large number of prisoners, with five pieces of artillery and their caissons and ammunition. In this part of the engagement our regiment suffered the loss of a brave and gallant officer in the person of Captain Eugene R. Jones, Company I, who was treacherously shot and instantly killed by one of a squad of the enemy who had surrendered, and while Captain Jones was going forward to receive them. The remaining companies (eight) were at first ordered to dismount and prepare to charge the enemy's works on the extreme left of our line. This order