net, no brands. A number of small hogs were killed, perhaps fifteen or twenty in number. It will, I suppose, be proper to state the number of enlisted men in my command. I left Gibson on the 2nd instant with 256 enlisted men of the First Indian Home Guard; eight enlisted men of the Third Indian Home Guard. January 8, met detachment Second Indian [Home Guard], commanded by Lieutenant Waterhouse, numbering ninety-seven enlisted men. January 9, was re-enforced by Lieutenant Hanway with twelve men, Third Indian Home Guard, January 12, re-enforced by Captain Price with twenty men, Second Indian Home Guard. I think I can safely say that there was not near the amount of meat killed and consumed that the command would have been entitled to if drawn on requisition.

I have the honor to be, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. PHILLIPS,

Major First Indian Home Guard, Commanding Train and Escort.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI,
Memphis, Tenn., January 16, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Mil. Div. of West Miss.,

New Orleans, La.:

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report touching the organization of a cavalry expedition for the purpose of fulfilling the object ordered by your cipher dispatch of 21st, ultimo. * The cavalry which composed the expedition against the Mobile and Ohio Railroad has not yet all returned. Transports in sufficient quantity cannot be procured, owing to the number furnished to carry the two brigades and batteries of the Reserve Corps from Memphis to New Orleans, with the Generals Grierson's and Winslow's cavalry to Louisville, with the detention of others ordered from above the mouth of the Ohio by ice. Some of my regiments suffered greatly in loss of horses in the attack on the stockade at Egypt, particularly the Second New Jersey Cavalry. General Davidson asks for a large regiment, and the Second New Jersey is the largest I have, and will have an opportunity to recruit and replenish its horses at Natchez. The Fifth Illinois Cavalry is divided, six companies at Vicksburg and six companies at Natchez. Their horses have been resting since my expedition against the Mississippi Central Railroad. These considerations have caused me to send the Second New Jersey to Natchez, and to order the Fifth Illinois, the Eleventh New York, and the Twelfth Illinois all to rendezvous at Memphis immediately. This will enable me to select a body of about 3,000 effectives. The enemy has about that number near Mone, under Harrison. The streams in the district in which I shall operate are full and overflowing, and I conclude not to allow a wheel to accompany the expedition, and we must cross our arms and ammunition over bad places by temporary rafts, whilst we swim the horses. The expedition, after starting, will last three weeks, and from the scarcity of supplies and bad condition of the country I anticipate a considerable expenditure of horse flesh. We can readily drive Harrison beyond the Washita, but to prevent him from returning it is necessary to destroy all forage and supplies in the

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*See Vol. LXI, Part IV, p. 901.

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