rebels on the way, and arrived at Mount Elba on the 26th and ran into a squad of rebels, of whom it killed and captured several losing one man killed. I arrived at Mount Elba on the 27th. It took three hours and ten minutes to lay down a bridge of seven boats, but I got the cavalry several miles beyond the Saline that night. The next day they went about twenty-eight miles from Mount Elba toward Camden and within about twenty miles of Camden, the distance being greater than I was at first informed and the Moro very hard to cross. They ran into a party of about seventy rebels, commanded by Major Hunter, and scattered them, killing two and capturing several. The rebels had no idea of their approach. I also sent scouts nearly to Monticello and toward Camden . My scouts captured altogether 34 prisoners, being Confederates in arms and on furlough, and bushwhackers; 1 captain and 2 lieutenants. We killed 3, and lost 1 killed and 2 soldiers and a guide wounded. I do not think there is any force at Monticello except a recruiting party. There seems to be a small force at Long View, below Warren, guarding a bridge. News from Camden confirmatory of previous reports. Captain Anderson, Eighteenth Illinois, commanding pontoon battalion, is incompetent and inefficient and I recommend that he be dropped from the service. He was slow in traveling and slow in laying the bridge. His men left Little Rock unprovided with shoes, and he did nothing at Pine Bluff to provide them or to exchange their bread, which was damaged. The troops behaved very well. Some vacant houses were burned along the road, and I have not as yet been able to find out the perpetrators.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. CARR,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Expedition

Major JOHN LEVERING

Asst. Adjt. General Department of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.

JANUARY 26-FEBRUARY 4, 1865. - Expedition from Plaquemine to The Park, La., with skirmish (February 4) at The Park.

Reports of Captain L. Frederick Rice, Thirty-first Massachusetts Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS POST PLAQUEMINE,
Plaquemine, La., January 30, 1865.

Captain B. B. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, La Fourche District:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of L. Frederick Rice, Thirty-first Massachusetts Volunteers, commanding the expedition sent out from this post by order of Brigadier-General Sherman commanding Defenses of New Orleans. His command is still in the vicinity of The Park and keeps up a daily communication with this post.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. G. SHAW,

Major, Eleventh U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery Commanding post.

[Inclosure.]

THE PARK, January 29, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of my proceedings since leaving Plaquemine in a more comprehensive form than I have heretofore been able to do:

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