advance of Logan's force. The troops were at once draw up to receive them, but the accounts were so vague that Lieutenant Hanham decided before withdrawing to send out additional scouts to learn the true state of the case.

Unfortunately several of these scouts were captured, in some instances, it is reported, through the aid of so-called citizens, and other were cutoff and unable to return to the town.

The attack commenced on the part of Logan's force at about 5 p. m., with little warning from the scouts, but the detachment was prepared, and seems to have received the attack with commendable steadiness, for the most part.

A detachment from the Sixth Regiment Infantry, Corps d'Afrique, under Lieutenant Royce, is especially mentioned for steadiness and good conduct. The artillery and cavalry also rendered excellent service.

After a conflict of some length, finding the enemy in greatly superior numbers, the detachment retreated with no great loss at first, and would probably have brought off its artillery but for the accident of having a guide shot at a critical moment, which caused the route intended to have been followed to be lost and a new one to be taken, through which it was impracticable to bring artillery.

The enemy's force, according to the port of prisoners, was about 800. It is supposed, however, to have been considerably greater. The detachment returned to this post at about midnight.

Lieutenant Handman is reported to have behaved most gallantly, and was slightly wounded. The enemy acknowledge a loss in killed and wounded of about 40. We took 6 prisoners, including 1 lieutenant.

Our loss, which will probably be somewhat diminished by the arrival of stragglers, now stands as follows. The proportion of killed and wounded of the number is not known:

Command. Officers. Enlisted men. Total.

3rd .............. 14 14

Massachusetts

Cavalry..

2nd Vermont *1 14 15

Battery..

1st Regiment 1 21 22

Infantry,

Corps

d'Afrique..

3rd Regiment .............. 11 11

Infantry,

Corps

d'Afrique..

6th Regiment 3 13 16

Infantry,

Corps

d'Afrique..

Total.. 5 73 78

*Wounded.

Two guns, two caissons, and 16 horses belonging to Second Vermont Battery.

Six wagons and 24 mules from the quartermaster's department.

The information here was that Logan was above Natchez with his force, and, from the accounts of the prisoners, it appears that he actually left that neighborhood only two days before this affair.

He had just arrived within 4 miles of Woodville, to which place he was probably led by the report of a raid made a few days ago by some of General Grant's forces, who burned the factory at that place, and was on his way back toward Natchez, and intending, it was supposed, to go nearly to Jackson, Miss., when he received intelligence that our forces were in Jackson, La., and at once marched on that place.

Considering the advantages given by fortune to the rebel forces on this occasion, their success appears to me not very remarkable.