My command was comprised as follows: Third Michigan Cavalry, Major Nugent commanding; Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Thornburgh commanding; Tenth Illinois Cavalry (detachment), Major Willis commanding; First Company Pontoniers (detachment), Lieutenant A. M. Conrad commanding. The supply train consisted of 100 wagons, transferred to my acting assistant quartermaster a few days before in most miserable condition. The animals were old, broken down, and generally unshod. On the 6th of May most of the teamsters transferred with the train deserted, consequently a detachment of the Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry, from the camp of distribution in Mobile, was directed to report to me for the purpose of supplying, so far as practicable, their places. Strict orders were given (copies of which accompany) to prevent pillaging or annoying in any way the people in the country through which we were to pass, and it was announced as my intention to secure by conciliation and kindness the good will of the people for and toward the representatives of the Federal Government. May 8, left Spring Hill; marched thirteen miles. May 9, marched sixteen miles; laid a pontoon bridge across Dog River, and pioneers bridged Rocky Creek. May 10, at Chickasaw River, which was bridged with pontoons; corduroyed the road for nearly a mile; marched sixteen miles. May 11, crossed Leaf River on pontoons at Roberts' Ferry; river 250 feet wide; marched eleven miles. May 12, marched eighteen miles; pontooned one creek. May 13, at Enon Post-Office; marched nineteen miles. May 14, pontooned Black Creek; marched twenty-two miles. May 15, marched to Pearl River, passing through Columbia to Atkinson's Ferry, a distance of twenty-seven miles laid a pontoon bridge 350 feet long across the Pearl. May 16, marched fifteen miles. May 17, marched seventeen miles, pontooning McGee's Creek and the Bogue Chitto River, passing through Tylerville. May 18, marched twenty-one miles, pontooning the Balia Chitto River and crossing the Tangipahoa River; passed through Osyka, Miss. May 19, marched eighteen miles; forded the Tickfaw River. May 20, marched twenty-five miles. May 21, marched twenty-five miles; pontooned the Amite River and forded the Comite River. May 22, marched nine miles; arrived in Baton Rouge. Total distance marched, 272 miles.

In passing through the portions of the States of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana in which my route lay I saw nothing to indicate that a single Confederate soldier remained in arms The expression among the people, and strongest with the paroled soldiers, was unanimously that of pleasure that the war is over, and that they were to be permitted to resume the occupations of peace. At Enon, Miss., I was notified by many of the residents of the presence in that vicinity of a party of bushwhackers who designed ambushing my advance. I made strenuous but ineffectual attempts to capture them. One of them shot and mortally wounded a soldier of the Third Michigan Cavalry who was stationed as a safeguard over a house on the road to Enon, which is the only casualty I have to report. I made every effort to prevent unlawful and unnecessary seizures. No grain and but few cattle were taken previous to my arrival at Pearl River. After crossing I had to depend upon the country for both, for which proper receipts were always given. The wagon-train animals were in such poor condition when I started many of them had to be left on the road. These were generally exchanged, in the proportion of two to one, for better animals whenever amicable arrangements of that kind could be made. I was much annoyed by negroes leaving their homes, taking animals with them, and attaching themselves to my command. All mules or horses found with the column improperly belonging there have invariably been