without my advice, and that I was so circumstanced as to be without authority to oppose such removal. Furthermore, I would refer the general to my late correspondence with district headquarters, which will show that I had plainly foreseen and adverted to the danger of the situation. The enemy are said to have buried 15 dead on the bank of the Ouachita River. Such parts of the wooden boats as were not iron-plated were riddled with shot.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. J. POLIGNAC,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major L. BUSH,

Assistant Adjutant-General, & c.

ADDENDA.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DISTRICT WEST LOUISIANA, Numbers --.
In the Field, April 5, 1864.

The major-general commanding desires to express to Brigadier-General Polignac and the officers and men of his brigade his high appreciation of the gallant and soldierly bearing in their engagement of the 1st and 2nd of March, 1864, with the enemy's gun-boats on the Ouachita River. The dispositions made by General Polignac were excellent and were nobly sustained by his command. The gun-boats were successfully engaged at short range with musketry and light artillery, and driven off with heavy loss, by the enemy's own admission. The artillery engaged consisted of two sections of Faries' battery, under Captain Faries, whose conduct is highly praised in General Polignac's report. Our men were entirely without cover.

By command of Major-General Taylor:

E. SURGET,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 2. Reports of Captain Thomas A. Faries, Pelican (Louisiana) Battery.

IN THE FIELD, NEAR HARRISONBURG, LA.,

March 2, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I took position with the right section of this battery (two 3-inch rifled guns), at daylight this morning, on a large circular Indian mound in an old field about midway between Harrisonburg and Bayou Bushly, which enters the Ouachita River on its right bank about 800 yards below the mound. This mound is 200 yards from the right bank of the river. At 10 a. m. the iron-clad gun-boat Osage of the enemy turned the point at the junction of the Ouachita and Bayou Bushly, followed by four tin-clads, armed stern-wheel river steamers, protected by a covering of boiler iron, pierced for guns below and for musketry where it covered the cabins, which were occupied by Federal infantry. I commenced firing at 10.30 a. m., soon after our infantry on the open river bank below me had opened the fight. Forty-seven time-fused shell and 16 solid shot were fired at the four tin-clads where they had halted just below my position, distance 400 yards. Nearly all of the shot and shell from the two 3-inch rifles took effect in the pilot-houses