Volunteer Aides Major McGoffin and Captain Duzenberry also rendered me great service.

JAS. P. MAJOR,

Colonel, Commanding Second Cavalry Brigade.

Major LOUIS BUSH, Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WESTERN LOUISIANA,
Thibodeaux, July 6, 1863.

The conduct of Colonel Major during the service herein mentioned has been above all praise. He has shown energy, industry, and capacity which render him fit for any command, and I respectfully recommend and request that his command as colonel commanding brigade may be made permanent, as I am sure the interests of the service and the country will be promoted by his promotion.

R. TAYLOR,

Major-General, Commanding.

Numbers 13. Reports of Capts. T. A. Faries, Louisiana Battery, of attacks on gunboats and transports on the Mississippi River, July 7-10, and operations near Donaldsonville, July 12-13.

IN THE FIELD, ASSUMPTION PARISH, LA.,

Allemand Plantation, July 10, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that the rifle section of this battery, two 3-inch Parrott guns, under First Lieutenant B. F. Winchester, took position at Battery Numbers 1, on Gaudet's plantation, right bank of the Mississippi River, Saint James Parish, about 12 miles below Donaldsonville, where embrasures were cut through the levee (some 12 feet high) on the morning of the 7th instant, at 2 a. m.; and at 9 a. m. engaged a sloop of war, said to be the Genesee, and one gunboat convoying a small steam tug, bound up. This section fired five time-fuse shell and eight solid shot with effect, as i learned through parties from Donaldsonville subsequently that a captain, second lieutenant, and 7 men were killed or wounded.

At 3 a. m. on the morning of the 8th of July instant, the rifle section fired two solid shot and three shell at two gunboats convoying a transport going down the river, making four hits. Same day, at 5 a. m., fired seven shell (time-fuse) and ten solids hot at two gunboats, bound up, making fifteen hits. The Mississippi River at this point is about 2,000 yards wide.

On july 9, constructed platforms and cut embrasures at intervals of 100 to 150 feet for two 6-pounder bronze smooth-bore guns, two 12-pounder bronze field gun of [F. O.] Cornay's (Louisiana) battery, the last under Lieutenant [O. H.] Jones.

At 8.30 p. m., the night being dark and misty on the river, with occasional lightning, causing objects on the water to appear obscure, opened with the seven pieces on a fleet of nine vessels, composed of gunboats and transports, including the iron-clad Essex and a sloop of war; to cover the passage of transports, a gunboat was apparently lashed on each side of a transport, which last were evidently well loaded with men and material, bound down. All the vessels on the right of their