No. 2. Report of Colonel Thomas M. Bowen, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, commanding U. S. transports, of operations January 17-24. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., January 24, 1865.

MAJOR: On the 17th instant steamers Lotus, Chippewa, Ad. Hines, and Annie Jacobs left Van Buren, Ark., each having on board a small scout under the command of a line officer. On board of each steamer were a large number of refugees, also quite a number of officers. On the Annie Jacobs, particularly, passengers and soldiers numbered about 500, en route for different localities via this place. The Chippewa had the advance, the Annie Jacobs was next, the Lotus followed, and the Ad. Hines brought up the rear. At about 4 p. m. on the 17th instant (Ivey's Ford, eighteen miles above Clarksville) the Chippewa was discovered about one mile in advance, lying at the south shore of the Arkansas, and a few moments later I was requested to examine her through a field glass, when I immediately discovered that she was on fire in her center on the main deck. I became at once satisfied of the presence of the enemy. Being the ranking officer on board, I at once assumed the direction of affairs, giving the pilot orders to put on all steam and go on, but the order had scarcely been given before the enemy opened on us with artillery. I ordered the pilot to round to and proceed up the river. By the time the direction of the boat had been changed we were opposite the first rebel gun. There being but little steam up, and it being impossible to get the boat out of the range of the north shore, which was accomplished under the most galling fire of the enemy, having received fifteen shot and shell, which destroyed the heaters before we landed and three after we reached the shore. In addition to the fire from the artillery a continuous fire from small-arms was poured into us from the commencement of the action. One at the right front of the pilot house, and two in the hold. The most indescribable confusion prevailed on board among the passengers, especially the female portion, and I ordered the landing of the boat, because it was impossible to get her out of range of the artillery, and had we been any considerable distance from the shore we would have floated into the hands of the enemy owing to the damage done to the machinery by the artillery, and for the further reason that I hoped to save the two boats which were behind. The Lotus, however, was so near that before we could warn her of the danger she was within range of the artillery, and she also landed on the north side of the river; when, fearing an attack from that side of the river, I proceeded up the beach with two men, and collected the disembarked soldiers of the Lotus, and marched them to the line formed on the bank by those who had disembarked from the Jacobs. Having restored order and made very possible preparation for the protection of the boats, I at once started a messenger up the river-bank with a dispatch to General Thayer and orders for the Ad. Hines not to approach, telling briefly of the danger, and sent to Clarksville for re-enforcements. I also ordered a forage train, which happened to be within a few miles, with an escort of over 100 men, to move to us at once; which order was promptly obeyed by Captain Thomas Stevenson, of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanding.