under command of Colonel W. B. Barton, Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, left Jacksonville and proceeded to Palatka, 75 miles up the Saint John's River, where they disembarked without opposition on the 10th instant. Here they have remained, constructing defenses, mounting guns, &c.

March 28.-Brigadier General T. Seymour relieved from command of this district by Brigadier General J. P. Hatch.

U. S. Forces, Palatka, Fla., commanded by Colonel William B. Barton, Forty-eighth New York Infantry.

March 9.-Barton's brigade, a detachment of the Third Rhode island Heavy Artillery, and Company I, Volunteer Engineers, all under command of Colonel W. B. Barton, Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, left Jacksonville, Fla., at 8 p. m., and proceeded to Palatka, Fla., 75 miles up the Saint John's river, where they disembarked without opposition a 6 a. m. on the morning of the 10th. Here they have remained, constructing defenses, mounting guns, &c.

Light Brigade, District of Florida, commanded by Colonel Guy V. Henry, Fortieth Massachusetts Infantry.

March 1.-A reconnoitering party, consisting of two squadrons Fortieth Massachusetts, a battalion Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, and one section of Battery B, was sent out; met the enemy's pickets at McGirt's Creek and drove them back, but they were immediately re-enforced with infantry and artillery and in turn compelled us to retire, which we did, contesting every foot of ground; fell back to Three-Mile Run and encamped.

Third Brigade (colored), Ames' Division, commanded by Colonel Edward N. Hallowell, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry.

March 9.-Colonel A. S. Hartwell, commanding Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, with five companies of his regiment, reported to Colonel William B. Barton, Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, commanding brigade. They proceeded with the expedition to Palatka; one company of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers remained in Jacksonville, and was detailed as garrison to Redoubt Fribley. The two remaining companies of the regiment proceeded to Yellow Bluff, Fla., and reported to Lieutenant Colonel C. B. Fox, Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, commanding post, who was then in command of two companies of the same regiment.

Montgomery's Brigade, commanded by Colonel James Montgomery, Thirty-fourth U. S. Colored Troops.

The regiment commanded by Colonel James Montgomery, formerly known as the Second South Carolina Volunteers, by a special order from the War Department, was changed to the Thirty-fourth U. S. Colored Troops. The fragment of a regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel August G. Bennett, and known as the Third South Carolina Volunteers, and the fragment of a regiment commanded by Colonel M. s. Littlefield, by a special order from the War Department, were consolidated and called the Twenty-first Regiment U. S. Colored Troops.