under lead of Zapata. I at once set out from this post with a part of Captain C. Benavides' company (H), and went to Clareno, and there took a part of Captain [Thomas] Rabb's company (D), and crossed the Rio Grande, and went to the point where the Guerrero soldiers and banditti had their skirmish, and, finding nobody there, took the trail of Zapata's party, and followed it to within a short distance of Mier, when, about 9 o'clock of the 2nd instant, I found the camp of the banditti. I directed the non-commissioned officers of Company H to select the leaders of the banditti, all of whom were known to them, and without delay attack the scoundrels. After a short fight they were all dispersed, and on account of the thickness of the chaparral, and our want of knowledge of the country, many escaped.

We found dead of the enemy 10, among whom were all the officers, viz, Octaviano Zapata, who claimed the rank of colonel; Monico Salmas, captain; Manuel Villareal and Guillermo Vino, lieutenants. The balance were unknown to us. We fortunately suffered no casualties, which was remarkable, for the camp was in the bottom of a ravine, which our men were obliged to enter in single file, under a sharp fire from the thieves.

My force consisted of 3 lieutenants and 39 men from Company H, and 2 lieutenants and 35 men from Company D.

The officers and men without exception showed great gallantry. Lieutenant [R. F.] Haskins, of Company D, especially distinguished himself. Corpl. Natividad Hererra, of that after his carbine was discharged, finding that there was danger of the escape of Zapata before he could reload, attached him, and gave him his death-blow with the butt of his gun, although Zapata had a loaded pistol and was firing at the corporal all the time.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SANTOS BENAVIDES,

Major Thirty-third Texas Cavalry, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM O. YAGER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, C. S. Provisional Army.

SEPTEMBER 4-11, 1863.- The Sabine Pass (Texas) Expedition.

REPORTS.*

Numbers 1.- Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Gulf.

Numbers 2.- Captain William B. Roe, Chief Signal Officer, Department of the Gulf.

Numbers 3.- Major General William B. Franklin, U. S. Army, commanding Expedition.

Numbers 4.- Brigadier General Godfrey Weitzel, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, with Itinerary of the Division for September, 1863.

Numbers 5.- Itinerary of the First Brigade, Third Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, Brigadier General Frank S. Nickerson, U. S. Army, commanding, for September, 1863.

Numbers 6.- Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Frederick Crocker, U. S. Navy.

Numbers 7.- Major General John B. Magruder, C. S. Army, commanding District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, with congratulatory orders and proclamation.

Numbers 8.- Colonel Leon Smith, C. S. Army, commanding Marine Department, Texas.

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*For reports of Commodore Henry H. Bell, Lieutenant Commander William H. Dana, and Acting Masters Charles W. Lamson and Howard Libbetts, U. S. Navy, see Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 7, 1863.

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