miles farther, when Captain Moore, with a few men of Company D, joined Captain Stevenson's company and both companies returned to Mr. Lambert's place, where the wagons had been left. Captain Stevenson during this march arrested five men, two of whom Captain Moore released when he joined Company E, and some boats were destroyed.

On Monday morning Captain C. Moore, Captain J. Stevenson, Lieutenant W. H. Jordan, a sergeant and six privates took two days' rations and proceeded down the bayou. Captain Moore informed me that I would have command of Company E, and that Sergt. Joseph Yandell, Company D, would command Company D during their absence, and that in case the rations should fail that we would have to forage for subsistence, and that the men should be allowed to hunt, three or four at a time. Nothing was said of the object of the expedition or the length of time they would be done. I protested against their all going and leaving the detachment without a commissioned officer, and asked that one should be left, but this was refused. About noon of the 21st a Mr. Patton Pelton (I believe was his name), who resided on a plantation about five miles from our camp, came to our quarters and reported that a soldier had shot and killed a little girl and had fired at a negro man on his plantation. I immediately took two men of my company and proceeded to the place, where I found a mulatto girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, lying dead in a field. She had evidently been killed by a pistol-ball, which had entered the forehead and passed entirely through the head. I learned from the negro man, who was near, that the girl had been shot by a drunken soldier, who had first fired at one of the men and them had shot and killed the girl. One of the men had witnessed the killing. After getting all the information I could from them I proceeded to the planter's house, half a mile farther on. Between the house and where the dead girl lay I met three men of Company D, Privates Hilton, Davis, and another I did not know. They were running their horses at full speed. Hilton was very much intoxicated. I made an effort to stop them, but none stopped but Davis. I questioned him about the killing of the girl; he answered that he knew nothing about it. Not getting any further information I returned to camp. I immediately informed Sergeant Yandell of the particulars and stated to him that I was satisfied that Hilton was the guilty party and suggested that he be arrested. Yandell declined to arrest him, but said he would keep and eye on him and not let him escape. And so matters remained until Saturday, the 26th, during which time nothing had been heard from the absent party. On this day the adjutant of the Thirty-third Illinois came to our quarters, and having learned of the killing of the little girl, took two men of Company E and arrested Hilton. The same evening an orderly arrived with a communication addressed to Captain Moore, and there being no commissioned officer present, I opened the same and found it to be an order from he commanding general for the detachment to return to their stations immediately, which was accordingly done, Company E stopping at Terre Bonne and Company D returning to Thibodeaux. Sergeant Yandell took charge of the prisoner, stating that the adjutant of the Thirty-third Illinois had ordered him to deliver Hilton to district headquarters. Of his subsequent escape I know nothing.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN SIMMS,

First Sergeant Company E, Commanding Company.

Captain B. B. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.