vedettes the enemy opposed them in a lively manner and during the whole night the command lay upon arms, being ignorant of how large a force surrounded them, for from every side was constant firing, during which 1 private of the Third Arkansas Cavalry was killed upon his post. During the past three days forage had been plentiful. On the evening of the 30th we reached Van Buren, finding no feed for horses, and with our ambulances and wagons loaded with sick. The next day I reported to General Thayer at Fort Smith and delivered him my dispatches. He was much pleased that the general commanding had sent a force sufficiently large to break through the enemy's lines, since he had not heard a word from department headquarters since the arrival of the last boat. He represented that the enemy were upon every side and were cutting off his forage and mail parties, and had either captured or driven back every party he had started for Little Rock.

We remained several days at Van Buren in order to receive dispatches, mail, and to shoe horses, it being necessary to shoe about 150 here, besides a number each night after reaching camp while on the march. We left on the 5th, acting as a portion of escort to forage train at the request of General Thayer, by which we were delayed two days. On the 8th we proceeded on our way toward Little Rock. Soon after separating from the train and passing through the Mulberry mountains, the advance, under Captain Herring, began skirmishing. This night camped within ten miles of Clarksville. Jus as we were halting for the night a rebel captain and squad were driven from a house. Next day the country people reported that the captain was wounded and died. We found on the 9th a small force at Clarksville, who fired a good many shots without inflicting damage, the advance pursuing them across the bridge. On the 10th we had continual skirmishing and a march of thirty-five miles to Illinois Bayou. Nothing occurred after this worthy of notice. It is reported that a command is at Dover numbering from 300 to 800 men. It is not likely that they are more than 300. We reached Little Rock on the 13th, having marched the distance, not calculating the circuits made at the fords, 180 miles, in six days, being nineteen days upon the round trip. From reports of the different detachment commanders I learn that we killed some 20 of the enemy and captured 4 prisoners, one an orderly sergeant in Stirman's battalion. I lost 2 killed, 2 missing, 1 died at Van Buren, and 31 left sick. I brought back sixty-three non-veterans of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry.

In conclusion I would respectfully represent that no detachment, except the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, was supplied with shoeing tools or shoes and nails. This neglect greatly impairs the efficiency of cavalry; besides this, men just from hospital and weak with recent sickness are not fit for such long, hard marches, neither is it proper to send men mounted upon poor and sore-backed horses, since men are thereby doubly endangered.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS DERRY,

Major, Commanding Detachment.

Brigadier General J. R. WEST,

Commanding Cav. Div., Seventh Army Corps, Little Rock, Ark.