Numbers 2. Reports of Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, U. S. Army, commanding expedition and Department of the Gulf.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, March 18, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose for your information copies of dispatches,* which reached me yesterday morning, announcing the capture of Fort De Russy on the 14th, by General A. J. Smith's division, and of Alexandria on the 15th, by the co-operating naval forces. The army in Western Louisiana, consisting of the First Division of the Nineteenth, the Third and Fourth Divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, and the Cavalry Division, with several regiments of the Corps d'Afrique, was to have moved from Franklin on Alexandria early last week, but its march was interrupted by a severe rain-storm, rendering the roads wholly impassable. The movement was, however, commenced on the ---. The whole force was in motion beyond New Iberia, and my headquarters were en route to join the expedition when the inclosed dispatches arrived. Leaving General Franklin to continue his march as expeditiously as possible to Alexandria, I shall proceed immediately to that point.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.

[Inclosure.]

BATON ROUGE, March 17, 1864.

Brigadier General C. P. STONE,

Chief of Staff:

Just received from General A. J. Smith 24 officers, 300 rank and file, prisoners, taken at Fort De Russy, Red River. Will send them to New Orleans as soon as possible.

P. ST. GEO. COOKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS PORT HUDSON, LA.,
March 24, 1864.

GENERAL: Dispatches from Alexandria, dated the 22nd of March, report that a reconnoitering party of about 3,000 infantry and a brigade of cavalry, with two batteries, under command of General Mower, of General Smith's forces, pursued the enemy 10 miles, skirmishing most of the distance, and driving them before them. General Mower reported to General Smith at 2 o'clock that the enemy was in force in front, with infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and a division was sent forward with two regiments of the cavalry of General Lee. Our troops advanced on the Bayou Rapides road toward Natchitoches, about 21 miles from Alexandria, met the enemy in force, turned his flank, captured 4 pieces of artillery, with caissons,

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* Only one inclosure found.

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12 R R - VOL XXXIV, PT I