Olustee fight the number of killed, severely wounded, and missing will reach as high as 700. There are several hundred slightly wounded. I have had no official returns yet, but will forward them when obtained.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, March 3, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief, U. S. Army:

SIR: I am instructed by the Join Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of the War to forward to you a copy of a resolution passed by the Senate yesterday (the copy is inclosed herewith), and to request that you will, forward to this committee, as soon as convenient, such information as there may be in your possession upon the subject-matter of the resolution.

I remain, yours, respectfully,

B. F. WADE,

Chairman, &c.

[Inclosure.]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,

March 2, 1864.

On motion by Mr. Hendricks:

Resolved, That the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War be directed to inquire into the causes of and circumstances attending the recent military expedition into Florida, with whom the expedition originated, for what purposes it was undertaken, and what were its results; and that the committee be instructed to report at as early a day as practicable.

J. W. FORNEY,

Secretary.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., April 5, 1864.

SIR: In reply to your inquiry for information in respect to the recent military expedition in Florida, I have the honor to report that on the 15th day of December, 1863, in a dispatch addressed to the General-in-Chief, Major-General Gillmore submitted the following proposition:

With the forces now at my disposal, I would respectfully suggest one of two operations, viz:

* * * *

Second. Operate in Florida and recover all the most valuable portion of that State, cut off a rich source of the enemy's supplies, and increase the number of my colored troops. I will not go into detail.

On the 22nd of December, the General-in-Chief replied:

I am authorized by the Secretary of War to say that you are at liberty to undertake operations in your department as you may deem best, making secure the positions you already hold in front of Charleston.