on the 17th. One days fighting with a careful and critical examination of the situation had convinced me that if a systematic effort was made by the enemy he could take the battery and most of its sharpshooter support. For that reason I had ordered the battery to change its position to a point higher up the Bayou Atchafalaya until works of protection could be constructed to avoid its being subjected to an enfilading fire from the northeast and southwest.

On the morning of the 20th the enemy approached very leisurely, halting out of range, and commence the construction of an impromptu bridge across Muscle Shoal Bayou, as also the opening of a road leading to the river below the mouth of the Muscle Shoal Bayou. Before daylight the enemy had passed two pieces of canon along the north base of Cowhead Bayou Dyke, and moved them muffled to a point through the woods, from which part of the levee on the west side of the river could be enfiladed. The work on the bridge and in opening the road to the south of my position continued. The design of the enemy was made apparent at an early hour. It was to outflank me on the right, cross the river where there was no levee on the west side, and take me in the rear, or else move by the railroad grade and cut off my retreat through the swamp.

Under date of the 18th of September I received written instructions from the brigadier-general commanding cavalry south of Red River to "risk nothing in the way of being captured, and that if an attempt is made to cross in above or below to fall back to once." My action was controlled in a great measure by these instructions. On the first alarm I had ordered my trains and sick to the rear. As the force of the enemy developed itself the artillery was ordered to move in retreat, and when preparations were made to cross by cutting the road down the river below me, the regiments were ordered back, except three companies in charge of Lieutenant Walton, assistant adjutant-general, who was left to watch the motions of the enemy, retard their crossing, and skirmish with them through the swamp. At 3 p. m. the enemy succeeded in throwing across the river two miles below Morgan's Ferry a body of 300 400 infantry, or dismounted cavalry, which moved thence up the river in rear and flank of the position from which I fought on the 17th. As they advanced the pickets thrown out by Lieutenant Walton retired and rejoined their respective companies. The Thirty-fifth Cavalry retired by the Faulkner's Ferry road, destroying the pontoon bridge thrown across Bayou Rouge. Moved to Rutledge's, and there awaited to form a junction with the Thirty-fourth Regiment, which retreated by way of the Atchafalaya and Washington road. The First Texas Cavalry was ordered to fall back from Simsport, leaving small pickets on the river toward Evergreen, skirmishing with the enemy if an advance were made, and to await at Evergreen for a junction with the other regiments of the brigade. No stand was made in the swamp with the two regiments because of the ability of the enemy to take me in flank or near, or cut off my line of retreat if the railroad grade were traveled by them with that intent, between which and the Atchfalaya and washington road no communication by cavalry could be kept up. As soon as I was safe from capture I occupied the first available and defensible position and placed my regiments in line, the one in rear of the other one-half mile. In this position I remained until relieved by Brigadier-General Debray, one regiment of whose brigade was thrown in advance.

From the best information I can obtain the Federal force consisted of 3,000 or 4,000 men and twelve pieces of cannon, the large portion of which did not cross the bayou. My own force which could be used