together I concluded something was up. Before night I started, with eighteen men, toward Oxford. When about half way I discovered Aubrey burning and struck for the nearest point on the direct Aubrey and Oxford road, surmising that they would go from the former to the latter place. Just after striking the road, two miles south of Oxford, I ran into the whole gang. We were on the high prairie. They were nine in number. Knowing that nothing else could be done, I gave the command to fire and charge, which was done. They charged into the timber and remained there, and we returned. They were about fifty yards distant when we fired. Do not know that any of them were hurt.

W. F. GOBLE,

Lieutenant and Assistant Provost-Marshal.

Major H. H. HEATH,

Provost-Marshal-General, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.

JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 1, 1865. - Expedition from Fort Pike to Bayou Bonfouca, La., with skirmish (January 31.)

Report of Lieutenant Michael Gallagher, Seventy-fourth U. S. Colored Troops.

FORT PIKE, LA., February 1, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report to headquarters Fort Pike, La., pursuant to Special Orders, Numbers 12, dated January 31, 1865, the results of an expedition to Bayou Bonfouca, and following:

Tuesday, January 31, 1865, sent on board the sloop Rosetta, with one sergeant, one corporal, thirteen privates, fifteen in number, to Bayou Bonfouca. Started from Fort Pike, La. at 3 p. m. en route for the above place. Arrived there at 5 p. m., having a very good breeze until I reached the Bayou, when I discovered a sailing craft in the Bayou. Having a reverse wind, I had to haul in my sails on the sloop Rosetta and pole her up the Bayou to within 250 yards of Bayou Vincent, Mrs. Cooper's being my destination which lay on the Bayou Vincent. The sailing craft, which was the schooner Perseverance, was loaded with wood bound to New Orleans, La., Mr. Raymond Terence, master and owner of the above-named vessel. She lay at anchor about fifty yards from Bayou Vincent, when I ran my sloop Rosetta into the left bank of Bayou Bonfouca for the purpose of getting a yawl-boat to tow me up the Bayou Vincent, when a party of guerrillas nine in number, rushed to the right bank of the Bayou and demanded the sloop Rosetta to come across to them, or otherwise they would fire into me. Previous to this time I had taken the precaution to put my men in the cabin of the sloop. I then cautioned my men to be ready and keep cool, when the guerrillas opened fire on the boat. They did not give me time to come across to them when they discovered the U. S. uniform on the two sailors and myself (all the other men were below). I then called the men on deck and gave the command "fire. " After firing two rounds they took to the swamp. The schooner Perseverance immediately got under way with all her sails set, and coming toward my sloop, I thought discretion was the best part of valor. I dropped down to the mouth of Bonfouca Bayou, not knowing but what there might be more men on board of her and intending to run me down. I ordered my men ashore at the old lighthouse, where they could have a good range on the schooner and at the same time a good cover for themselves.