service of their country, but to endure every hardship and discomfort without a murmur for her sake.

By command of J. bankhead Magruder, major-general, commanding.

W. T. CARRINGTON,

Lieutenant, and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Commanding officers of regiments, battalions, or separate companies will have this order read to their commands and filed in the adjutant's office. No newspaper will publish.

By command of J. Bankhead Magruder, major-general, commanding,

W. T. CARRINGTON,

Lieutenant, and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

AUGUST 20-SEPTEMBER 2, 1863.-Expedition from Vicksburg, Miss., to Monroe, La., including skirmishes (24th) at Bayou Macon and at Floyd.

Report of Brigadier General John D. Stevenson, U. S. Army, commanding Expedition.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., September 3, 1863.

GENERAL: In pursuance of your written instructions of date August 20, 1863, I assumed command of the expedition designated by you as the Louisiana Expedition, consisting of the Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps; Third Brigade, Sixth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps; Bolton's and Sparrestrom's batteries; the howitzer section of the Eighth Michigan Battery, and Major Osband's battalion of cavalry.

On the 20th of August, the entire command was embarked on steamboats,and transported to Goodrich's Landing, Carroll Parish, La., where it was debarked on the morning of the 21st of August. Resting until 4 a. m. of the 22d, we commenced the march in direction of Monroe, La. Pushing the command forward with all rapidity, we arrived at Monroe on the 27th instant. In the course of the march we first encountered the pickets of the enemy on the Bayou Tensas, they retiring before our cavalry advance. At Bayour Macon, some show of a stand was made, but, being soon riven from their position by the command of Major Osband, the ord of the bayou was taken possession of, and held until the advance of the infantry column reached the ford. I then directed Major Osband to push forward with his command to the town of Floyd, which he did with great promptness with a part of his command. Finding the place occupied by rebel cavalry, he charged into the town, and, after a sharp skirmish, drove the enemy from the place, with the loss to them of a number of prisoners, and to his command of 1 enlisted man severely wounded. In the meantime, a portion of his command, being detached for that purpose, surprised the camp of a company of rebel cavalry south of the ford, destroyed the camp, capturing 7 prisoners, the tents, and transportation of the force. The march from Floyed to Monroe was uninterrupted, with the exception of frequent feints of defense on the part of the enemy, they invariably fleeing on the approach of the command. The military result of the expedition were the breaking up of the several camps at Floyd, Delhi, Monticello, Oak Ridge, and Monroe, and the precipitate flight of the enemy beyond the Washita River, in the direction of Shreveport. From the best information of