having noticed our approach, after a few minutes' interval the fight commenced. The skirmish was kept up two hours, my command killing 9 Indians, and the Indians injured 3 of my men slightly. None of my horses killed or wounded. I recaptured with my command 200 head of cattle. The men strictly obeyed my orders and commands during the fight. The most of the fighting was done on foot. After I reached the level ground the Indians retired back to their bluffs, looking very distressfully after us. We arrived at Valley Station in the evening of the 29th. The 30th I started for Godfrey's ranch, twenty miles from Valley Station. The Indians were more numerous in sight that day than ever before, moving up the river. Arriving at Godfrey's ranch, I noticed that evening the smoke of the ranches set on fire beyond Valley Station, and between Valley Station and Godfrey's ranch. The 31st of January I marched for the Junction, escorting three families in my wagons, including Godfrey's, to this place. The Indians during that day followed my command close in my rear, and scattered, ten miles from the Junction, into the bluffs. At 4 p. m. I arrived at the Junction; my horses are in very bad condition; I find it necessary to inform the colonel commanding district, [and] to state the following facts: Recruit Matheson I was obliged to leave at the hospital in Julesburg for being entirely unfit for the service. He expressed himself as not having been inspected by the military surgeon in Denver. J. F. Wisely, post surgeon at Julesburg, declares that said Recruit Matheson was not fit for service before he enlisted. The horseshoes of the horses under my command are different weight and sizes on single horses. In consequence half of the horses are lame. The percussion caps of the Starr carbines are most worthless; but one out of four will explode. The detachment stationed at the Junction before I relieved them, according to the statement of Citizen Ashcraft, had no guard out during two nights in sumy arrival at this place the detachment did not act soldier-like. I am scouting the country.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALBERT WALTER,

Second Lieutenant, Second Cavalry of Colorado, Commanding Detachment.

Colonel T. MOONLIGHT,

Commanding District.

JANUARY 15-17, 1865. -Expedition from New Orleans to Mandeville, La.

Report of Captain Abner Powell, Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry.

OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL,

Algiers, January 18, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report in detail of the late expedition to Mandeville, La., being furnished with the necessary orders and instructions from Major-General Hurlbut:

Embarked on board the schooner Cazador at New Basin, New Orleans, with 2 sergeants, 1 corporal, and 11 privates selected for the expedition from the Fifty-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, and 2 privates from Company F, First New Orleans Volunteers, 3 special officers, 2 boatmen, and 1 citizen of Algiers as a guide, numbering in all 21 men who took part in the expedition. Sailed from New Basin on the afternoon of Sunday, January 15. Arrived at north shore of Lake Pontchartrain during the same night, but owing to unfavorable weather, and not being