Norman F. Bates, Company E; Private John H. Hays, Company F; Private Eli Sherman, Company I; Private R. H. Cosgriff, Company L; Private John Kinney, Company L. Private Robert C. Wood, Company A, while acting as orderly was captured early in the engagement and confined in a house near the bridge. Hearing our men advancing he came out, and calling to his comrades returned with a few men from Companies A and I and captured his captor, Colonel Cole, and his adjutant, a captain, with several other prisoners. In thus mentioning the names of officers and men who have taken an active part in the late battles, I fear a wrong impression may be made in regard to all not named, and in this connection I desire to say that no single officer, non-commissioned officer, or private, so far as I have been able to learn, has failed to do his whole duty and to do it well. If any one man has been more prominent than another, it has been on account of his good fortune in having been in the right time. We have lost no men by straggling from the command during the campaign. The men have taken excellent care of their horses, and have uncomplainingly marched on foot a considerable portion of each day's march in order to save their horses. They have always exhibited the best of spirits and have always been eager to meet the enemy. I cannot, therefore, speak of individual instances of gallantry without feeling that, by implication at least, I am doing injustice to the remainder.

I am unable to report accurately the number of prisoners taken at Columbus, but from the reports of the officers engaged I place it at 941, including 67 commissioned officers. We captured also 8 battle-flags, 12 pieces of artillery, and 8 caissons. The loss of the regiment was 1 man killed. Private Nathan Beezley, of Company I, and 10 men wounded, 4 seriously and 6 slightly. We marched from Columbus April 18, and on the 20th I was directed to leave the main column at Thomaston by General Winslow and proceed to Barnesville and destroy all bridges, culverts, depots, tanks, &c., between Barnesville and Macon. I cut this road at Barnesville and destroyed some distance of the track on the evening of the 20th. On the 21st I reached Forsyth, where I became satisfied that the reported armistice had been actually declared. I thereupon ceased all further destruction of the railroad and marched toward Macon, reaching my present camp about noon of the 22nd instant.

Recapitulation: Direct line of march of campaign, 496 miles. Total number of miles marched, 610. Killed and wounded (of the regiment in battle during campaign).*

We have lost of animals 10 horses killed in action and 136 horses and 20 mules abandoned on the march. We have captured in battle, 2,436 prisoners of war, including 146 commissioned officers, 21 pieces of artillery, 16 caissons, 10 battle-flags, 1,650 stand of small-arms, 738 horses, and 142 mules. We have destroyed and assisted in destroying a vast amount of Confederate Government property, supplies, and great public works, such as mills, foundries oft both ordnance and common castings, arsenals, armories, magazines, machinery, ordnance and ordnance stores, corn and commissary stores.

Respectfully submitted.

J. H. PETERS,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Fourth Iowa Cavalry.

Lieutenant A. HODGE,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigadier, Fourth Div., Cav., Corps,

Military Division of the Mississippi, Macon, Ga.

---------------

*Nominal list (here omitted) shows 1 officer and 2 men killed and 23 men wounded.

---------------