Manning's plantation to find this camp. They found it just deserted, and captured but 2 prisoners. This expedition at least discovered and broke up their hiding-place, and for some time they did not appear again on the coast. Soon after this I learned that at an obscure settlement on Black Bayou, between New and Amite Rivers, a number of men from Doyal's and Gonzales' companies had a rendezvous where they lay in safety while we were scouting the ordinary roads and whence they came at other times to make conscription and plunder about the lower end of New River. This place is known as Seals Point, and I had much difficulty in finding a guide to it, as it was away from all the commonly used roads and no Federal scout had ever been there. On the night of December 17 I had a party of thirty men organized under three guides and sent them under Captain L. C. Howell to explore to terra incognita. They marched all night, crossing New River at Baptiste Laundry's bridge and Black Bayou, about four miles beyond, over roads almost impassable, and reached the place just before daylight. Taking immediate possession of every house, they found concealed in various places five soldiers and brought them in the next day. The same night I sent another party to scout the upper end of the New River country between the Dutch Stores and Hampton's Ferry, on Bayou Manchac. They brought in 2 prisoners on the next day. Both of these men were noted characters, being Confederate soldiers who had joined a jayhawking gang under the lead of one John King. Their robberies had for some time made the common roads in that region a terror even to peaceable travelers. It is only within the last few days that this gang has been heard from since. Both the scouting parties on this night were instructed by what different roads to go and return, and in this way almost the whole of the country on this side of Amite River was scoured in a night.

On the night of the 18th I received information that a body of 150 men, under Doyal, would start that morning from Livingston Parish, cross Amite River at some of the lower ferries, and come in to sweep the New River settlements and upper coast plantations. I determined to meet them, if possible, in time to defeat their object, and accordingly took the available strength of the command to the lower end of New River. Calculating that they must first appear on the lower end of New River I posted my main force near the Baptist church, picketed all the bridges, and sent small reconnoitering parties toward Amite River. These captured 2 prisoners, and brought word that no force had yet appeared on Amite River. Determining to watch for them still longer I sent one company to each of the ferries where they might be expected, viz, at the French settlement at Scivique's, McGill's, and Hampton's Ferries. During the night a small party appeared at Scivique's Ferry, reconnoitered the crossing, and went away. I believe the information on which I acted was premature, but that our movement prevented them from crossing later, as such a force did appear two days after on the Amite, near the French settlement, and after remaining a day or two went away, apparently fearing to cross. Since that time no important scouts have been made. One effect of our work, I think, has since been seen in the number of rebel soldiers who have come into our lines voluntarily and applied to take the oath of allegiance. Since December 22 eleven men of this description have been sent by me to the provost-marshal at Donaldsonville to take the oath under the President's amnesty proclamation. They are citizens of the New River country, and came from the various commands with Scott. On the night of January 2 a small scout from our lower company captured 1