three miles. We were compelled to wade through water from one to three feet deep for a distance of about two miles. On arriving at Whitaker's I found Captain Brown and four men on picket. My advance opened fire upon them, but they escaped though the swamps. The owner of this plantation, Whitaker (the father of the rebel Captain of that name), assured me there were no rebels near him. I told him that four of them had just run out of his stable, but he persisted in asserting he knew nothing of their having been there, an assertion I could not credit under the circumstances then existing. I inquired if he knew of the whereabouts of his son, Captain William Whitaker. He assured me he did not. I then moved on about a mile. The advance met a force of the enemy concealed behind bushes. We opened fire on them. The rebels seemed prepared to make a stand and my men charged them with a yell, drove them back in great confusion, wounding 1 and capturing 4. We pursued them and captured 4 more while attempting to cross a Bayou, name unknown. I learned that the enemy was under the leadership of Captain Whitaker. They escaped by swimming a Bayou or coulee running from Bayou Corn to Bayou Pierre Pass. Prisoners reported that the enemy threw most of their clothing and arms into the Bayou. The men of my command picked up clothing that must have been worn by nearly twenty men, and considerable was seen floating on the water. I next proceeded to the ferry of Bayou Pierre Pass and ascertained the enemy had not escaped that route, and supposed, from information received from negroes and citizens, that they had retreated to the right of Jauntes'. We then returned to Bayou Corn and crossed over between fifty and sixty mules and one horse, captured from Whitaker, together with the eight prisoners, and left them with the guard protecting the horses of the command, on this side of Grand Bayou. I then started back to Jauntes' with seventy men and found seven rebels at Bayou Corm; two of them returned the fire. They then all fled to the woods, leaving one musket. After leaving a guard with the boats at Bayou Corn I moved to Bayou Pierre Pass, from where Captain Macklin with his company (K) crossed the Bayou and went to Jauntes' house, but could obtain no information relative to the movements of the enemy. On my return I met Major Davis, of the Third Rhode Island Cavalry, with fifty men, and Lieutenants Ellis and Bahncke, with about thirty men of Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, at Bayou Corn. We remained at Bayou Corn a short time and then the whole command returned to Grant Bayou; effected a crossing; encamped for the night, as the men were worn down with fatigue and required rest. I brought the boat found in Bayou Corn into Grand Bayou; used it for crossing the command, after which destroyed it. On the morning of the 5th I started to return to camp, satisfied that everything had been accomplished that could be under the circumstances, and arrived at this place with the prisoners, horses, and mules captured from Whitaker's command. I neglected to state that the rebel was wounded severely and left at the house of a citizen at Bayou Corn.

Hoping that this report will meet your approval, I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. HILDRETH,

Major Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry.

Lieutenant L. R. HALL,

Post Adjutant.