had artillery and that his force so greatly outnumbered mine. I immediately charged on the line commanded by Colonel Gober and went through. This was done without any hesitation on my part and was evidently not anticipated by the enemy, who opened a heavy but ineffective fire, their artillery alone throwing about thirty shells. They at once threw a column down a plantation road running parallel with and about eighty rods from the one on which I moved, which made it impossible for me to turn back after the charge, and left me no other resource except to get the regiment together as soon as possible and attack them. However, having failed substantially in his object, Colonel Scott started at once for the Amite, crossing Bayou Manchac, near Hampton's Ferry, and the Amite at Galveston Ferry. I had on the morning of the 5th 206 men for duty. Aside from my sick men those lost as prisoners were principally commissary and quartermaster sergeants, buglers, saddlers, daily duty men, headquarters clerks, blacksmiths, &c., men who are not accustomed to at once saddle up and mount when anything is reported by the pickets requiring the command to turn out. My camp is located about sixteen to eighteen miles from Galveston Ferry and has good open roads leading to it and to other points on the Amite. My force does not admit of my keeping patrols constantly on these roads, and the fact of Colonel Scott crossing and getting near my camp without my knowledge does not seem to me a very remarkable circumstance. He has attempted it twice before, but on each occasion I have had information from my patrols and scouting parties and taken means to prevent it. This time he crossed during the night and succeeded in getting here.

Respectfully,

S. P. REMINGTON,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Captain WILLIAM H. CLAPP,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Baton Rouge.

AUGUST 6, 1864.-Skirmish at Plaquemine, La.

Reports of Brigadier General William P. Benton, U. S. Army, commanding District of Baton Rouge.*

BATON ROUGE, August 6, 1864.

There is a lady at the picket-lines, the wife of a rebel captain, with whom she is not on very good terms. She reports that Scott is moving on this place with from 3,000 to 4,000 men; that he crossed the Comite River day before yesterday in two columns. I know here personally; her intelligence and means of information are undoubted. The only question in my mind is as to her loyalty and truthfulness. Shall I send her down to you? I will detail her at the pickets till your answer arrives. They have shown themselves on two roads in that direction this morning and fired on the cavalry vedettes on the Clay Cut road. The officer of the day, Major Penn Gaskell, with six men of the guards, drove them back, and a squadron of cavalry followed them seven miles, capturing one horse. I have no suggestions to make. I give the facts as I got them, for what they are worth. I however believe that Scott had intended to attack Highland stockade, and when he learned that I had withdrawn the garrison that he then moved on the stockade at Doyal's plantation. This latter place he

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*See also Cameron to Matthews, 6 p. m., p. 215.

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