27th, and remained there the next night, awaiting the return of the men sent in advance. That night at 10 o'clock they reported to me. They had not seen Captain Murray, but had been to his camp, found a few men there, and that Captain Murray and his men were to rendezvous there on Monday, the 26th, one day before I reached Tyler. They stated that Captain Murray was then out, hunting up his men, to report with them to Brigadier- General McCulloch at Bonham. I started with the detachment the next morning at daylight. That day I met and arrested 3 of his men, who were sent out by him to bring in others. From them I learned that Captain Murray, with 8 or 10 men, had hone to the northern part of Wood County, to Mr. Gilbreth's that night. A little after daylight I arrested Captain Murray. He had no men with him. The party who went to his camp and the party under me who captured Captain Murray marched 75 miles during the day and night. With Captain Murray I proceeded to Quitman, where, by previous order, I met the detachment with prisoners, amounting in all to 15. With only 25 men, I deemed it prudent to place my prisoners in the custody of Major Tucker, commanding camp near Tayler. I turned them over to him; remained one day to rest horses and men, for both had been on duty night and day most of the time we were in Wood County. I started on a scout into Van Zandt and Kaufman Counties. In Van Zandt I arrested some deserters from other regiments, who had furloughs for fifteen days from Brigadier General H. E. McCulloch, commanding Northern Sub-District of Texas. One of these men brought me a paper showing the names of about 100 deserters who had been organized into a company. Among the names were 23 of Colonel Terrell's regiment, for whom I was then hunting. I herewith respectfully forward a list of the names belonging to Colonel Terrell's regiment,and a copy of the official certificate on the back of the paper containing them, marked A.* I found that most of these men of Colonel Terrell's regiment had gone to Bonham; others had taken to the woods. My trip to Van Zandt and Kaufman proving almost fruitless as to arresting men of this regiment, I arrested all I found of others, and carried them to Tyler. Satisfied that some arrangement had been made with deserters, I dispatched a courier to Brigadier- General McCulloch for information furnishing him with a copy of my orders from Major- General Magruder. I returned to Tyler with a number of prisoners from this and other regiments, and there received the answer of Brigadier- General McCulloch, which I respectfully forward herewith, marked B.+

On my arrival at Tyler, I found and order from Major- General Magruder directing me to proceed at once with my detachment to Houston, and this day have turned over Captain Murray, Lieutenant Chancellor, and 23 privates to Major Hyllested, provost marshal-general.

The length of this document- apparently unnecessarily long- requires me to explain, for the information of the major- general commanding, that I have communicated the details of my trip to exculpate myself from his censure, which was apparent in your communication to me dated the 4th of November. From this communication the conclusion is irresistible that the major- general has been, by some one unknown to me, induced to believe that I made this expedition he pretext, when my real object was to visit my home at Tyler, Tex. The communication

---------------

*Omitted.

+Not found.

---------------