federates carried off fifty sick men, horses and saddles. They were 900 strong, under Colonel Scott, with four pieces of cannon. They captured one captain and our adjutant. With re-enforcements we can retake our loss.

G. A. DAGWELL,

First Lieutenant Company C, Scott's Nine Hundred,

Eleventh New York Cav., and Actg. Adjt.

PORT HUDSON, August 6, 1864.

Major G. B. DRAKE

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I assumed command here this a.m. General McNeil expects to leave this evening on the Empress. Scouting party this a.m. report no signs of the enemy except a single mounted man, who succeeded in escaping.

GEO. L. ANDREWS

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Memphis, Tenn., August 6, 1864.

Major-General STEELE,

Commanding Department of Arkansas:

GENERAL: Your favor of the 1st is received. I am extremely sorry that by reason of the order from General Sherman to keep up the pursuit of Forrest, that I have not been able to throw my cavalry across the Mississippi as I intended to do. They are all now out 100 miles from here, and it will be twenty days before their return. It is much to be regretted that Shelby, in his late move in the rear of Helena, could not have been cut off, but it was not possible for me to do more than to send a regiment of 100-days' men to General Buford, having already before sent him a regiment of the same sort. I have sent to occupy Saint Charles and relieve General Gordon about 1,500 men, with a battery belonging to the Seventeenth Corps under command of Colonel J. B. Moore. After my present campaign is over, if successful, I hope to send you some aid in Arkansas. General Sherman has felt, up to this time, great anxiety about his communications and has relied on me to take care of the large forces by which they were menaced.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. C. WASHBURN,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. OF EASTERN ARKANSAS, Numbers 50.
Helena, Ark., August 6, 1864.

Having received leave of absence from Major General F. Steele, commanding the Department of Arkansas, I this day turn over the command of the District of Eastern Arkansas to Colonel William Crooks, Sixth Minnesota Infantry Volunteers.

N. B. BUFORD,

Brigadier-General.