Numbers 6. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John L. Rice, Seventy-fifth U. S. Colored Troops. BAYOU BOEUF STATION, April 8, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I moved from this station at 2 a . m. on the 4th instant with 100 men, 50 from the Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, 25 from the First Louisiana Cavalry, and 25 from the Seventy-fifth U. S. Colored Infantry, in twenty-two small boats. I moved via Lake Palourde, La Fourche Pass, Grass Lake, Four Mile Bayou, and Lake Verret. From the foot of Lake Verret I sent Lieutenant Steel, Sixteenth Indiana, with fifty men, to follow up the western shore, while I proceeded up the eastern shore with the remainder of the command, appointing Bayou Pierre Pass a rendezvous to be reached by both parties at sunset. Large numbers of floating craft were destroyed on both routes. As the mouth of Bayou Saint Vincent I heard a rumor that Whitaker was on Bayou La Fourche on a thieving expedition. I could learn nothing definite as to his force or his whereabouts. To get more information I moved up the Bayou two miles, but as this was taking me too far away from the appointed rendezvous, I turned into a small Bayou to the left and passed round into Grand Bayou. Here I learned positively that Whitaker crossed By Natchez with his gang two days before, and went across the country to Bayou La Fourche. I made hast to join Lieutenant Steel at Bayou Pierre Pass, designing to move with the whole command up Grand Bayou as far as the road from Juantes' Landing, secret my boats, and march on Whitaker's rear. On reaching Bayou Pierre Pass, however, I found the Indian men were completely exhausted with rowing, owing to their inexperience. It was 8 p. m., and the men had rowed continuously for eighteen hours. I decided to remain at Bayou Pierre Pass till the next morning. Early on the morning of the 5th I learned that our cavalry from Donaldsonville had an engagement with Whitaker on Bayou Corn, and had dispersed his whole gang on the afternoon of the 4th. This decided me to change my course, which I did at once, entering Little Bayou Natchez, which leads into Bay Natchez, and making all haste to reach Juantes' Landing before Whitaker, whom I believed to be retreating in that direction. On coming within two miles of Burnely's Landing, the point at which I expected to enter Bay Natchez, I found the Bayou so narrow that the oars could notm this point I sent Lieutenant Steel with fifty men to surround Burnley's house and capture everybody on the premises. I had previously learned that cotton speculators, smugglers, mail carriers, Confederate quartermasters, &c., were wont to congregate at this house. Lieutenant Steel captured 1 lieutenant, 3 privates (Confederates), 1 cotton speculator, 1 smuggler, and the proprietor (Mr. Burnley), besides a package of mail matter and a box of contraband goods. In the meantime with the rest of the command I pushed and dragged the boats about a mile farther, when the bayou ceased altogether. I then impressed Burnley's plantation teams and negroes and drew the boats across to Bay Natchez. As soon as the boats were afloat again I pushed rapidly for Juanties' Landing. Arriving there I found no traces of Whitaker. I then made for Anderson's Landing, three miles above. I found he had landed there, but had returned, taken his boats, and was off to part is unknown. I then hurried on up Grand River, thinking he might be on the stream, and be caught between me and the gunboat at Bayou Pigeon. After proceeding about two miles I captured