trenched, and eleven heavy guns (all protected by a gunboat), to a force of 320 men.

Our loss was 2 killed and 18 wounded.

The amount of quartermaster's, commissary, and ordnance stores is very large. Our troops crossed the bay as rapidly as possible, but were delayed on account of want of transportation. Nothing larger than skiffs could be had.

As rapidly as possible, General Green was ordered to the Bayous Ramos and Boeuf, to capture those of the enemy who had escaped, and also prevent them from burning the bridges, locomotives, and cars. Unfortunately they had already destroyed the railroad and wagon bridge over the Ramos and had retired to the Boeuf.

Our troops pushed on, and at daylight of the 24th the enemy surrendered to a scouting party under the command of General Green's daring scout [Leander] McAnelly. The force consisted of 435 officers and men, three siege guns, and a 12-pounder gun. At this point General Green's and Colonel Major's commands connected. Their troops were pushed forward to Thibodeaux and La Fourche Railroad crossing, capturing 25 Federal sick and wounded and four pieces of light artillery.

On the 27th, the troops marched to Donaldsonville.

On the 28th, at 1 a. m., the fort (Butler) was attacked, and at daylight, after the most desperate struggle, we were repulsed with 260 casualties.

Too much cannot be said of the gallantry and devotion of the brave men who stormed this stronghold.

Colonel [Joseph] Philips, Lieutenant-Colonel [D. W.] Shannon, and Major [Alonzo] Ridley are among the missing. They fell in a desperate hand-to-hand fight, but I hoped they are only wounded.

As one of the main objects of this campaign was to take possession of the Mississippi, I immediately threw, by roads passing through plantations, troops on the river bank.

I have the honor to report that on the 3rd instant the Federal transport Iberville was badly crippled by Colonel [W. P.] Hardeman's regiment and the rifled section of [O. J.] Semmes' battery.

To-day one section attacked the flag-ship Monongahela. The work is going on bravely.

While General Green and Colonel Major were marching upon Donaldsonville, Major [H. H.] Boone, with Waller's battalion and [C. L.] Pyron's regiment, pushed on to Raceland, and thence to the Des Allemands, at which latter place the enemy had abandoned a piece of artillery and burned the railroad bridge. Major Boone, with his usual energy, swam some of his horses, and pushed on, driving the enemy from Boutte Station; but his force being small, he had to return to the Des Allemands.

This, major, covers the whole field of operations on the west side of the bay. The other part of the operations, under the accomplished and gallant soldier, Colonel Major, will be found in his inclosed report.

The conduct of General Green, Colonel Major, Major Hunter, and the officers and men under them, is beyond all praise, and deserves the thanks of the country.

I beg leave the tender my thanks to the officers of my staff for their energy and faithful performance of the arduous duties imposed upon them: Major Louis Bush, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant A. J. Watt, aide-de-camp; Captain A. Scheriber, ordnance officer; Major R. W. Sanders, assistant quartermaster, and Captain M. T. Squires, chief of artillery, who were with me all the time.