into Texas. In this expedition, General Banks reports the capture of 2,000 prisoners, 22 pieces of artillery, 2 transports, and a large amount of public property. We destroyed 3 gunboats and 8 transports. Our own loss in the different engagement with the enemy was "very slight," number not given.

General Banks now returned to the Mississippi River, crossed his army to Bayou Sara, where he formed a junction May 23 with General Augur's forces, from Baton Rouge. The latter had an engagement with the enemy on Port Hudson Plains on the 22d, in which he lost 19 killed and 80 wounded. Port Hudson was immediately invested. While awaiting the slow operations of a siege, General Banks made two unsuccessful assaults. Finally, on the 8th of July, the place unconditionally surrendered. We captured 6,233 prisoners, 51 pieces of artillery, 2 steamers, 4,400 pounds of cannon powder, 5,000 small-arms, 150,000 rounds of ammunition, &c. Our loss from the 23rd to 30th May, including the assault of the 27th, as reported, was about 1,000.

Being re-enforced from General Grant's army on the termination of the Mississippi campaign, General Banks sent an expedition under General Franklin to occupy the mouth of the Sabine River, in Texas. It reached the entrance to the harbor on the 8th of September, and the gunboats engaged the enemy's batteries; but two of them, the Clifton and Sachem, being disabled and forced to surrender, the others retreated, and the whole expedition returned to Brashear City. The officers and crew of the gunboats, and about 90 sharpshooters who were on board, were captured, and our loss in killed wounded was about 30. After a long delay at Brashear City, the army moved forward by Franklin and Vermillionville, and, at last account, occupied Opelousas.

* * * * * *

All of which is respectfully submitted.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

No. 2. Report of Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, U. S. Army, of operations in the Department of the Gulf, December 16, 1862 - December 31, 1863.*

NEW YORK, April 6, 1865.

Hon. E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit a report of the military operations of my command in the Department of the Gulf in 1862, and 1864.

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*See also siege of Port Hudson, p.43, the Sabine Pass Expedition, p.286, and the Rio Grande Expedition, 7c., p.396.

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