received orders from General Banks to move forward that night to Yellow Bush Bayou, 3 miles from Simsport, and lay the bridge across that stream. I arrived at the bayou at 4 a.m. May 17, where I found Colonel Lucas, commanding the advance guard, crossing his cavalry on a flat-boat. I immediately ordered a detail from the Third Engineers to lay the bridge, and 6 a.m. everything was in readiness to cross the troops. I immediately ordered my command to move across and encamp near the end of the bridge, on the east bank of Yellow Bush Bayou. On the west bank of the bayou the enemy had constructed two formidable earth-works, designed to prevent the advance of our army from Simsport. About noon, May 17, I received orders from General Emory to reverse these works and make a tete-de-pont of them, and on the following day received orders from him to destroy the works entirely. At about 7 p.m., May 19, I received orders to take up the bridge as soon as General A. J. Smith's command had crossed and at 2 a.m. the following morning I was informed by a staff officer from General Smith that his command had all crossed, and I ordered the bridge to be immediately taken up. At 4 a.m. the bridge was all loaded and the command ready to march. Crossed the Atchafalaya at about 8 a.m. and halted about 4 miles from Simsport, where I remained until 7 p.m., when I received orders from General Emory to resume the march on the road leading to Morganza. Marched all that night, and on the following morning (May 21) had to cut a road for about a mile through the woods at Tunica Bend, in order to allow the trains to pass. The old road, which was on the top of the levee, had been previously destroyed by the enemy in constructing a water battery at this point. After completing this road and giving the men time to make coffee, I again resumed the march and encamped that night at 10 p.m., with the Nineteenth Army Corps, about 6 miles from Morganza. I arrived at Morganza and went into camp on the 22nd of May. On the following day I received orders from General Emory to furnish 100 men daily to do picket duty, and to take the rest of my command and construct embrasures and platforms along the levee for the artillery. These details I continued to furnish until the 30th, when I received orders from General Emory to report with my command to Captain Hains, U. S. Engineers, for the purpose of constructing a fort at Morganza. This work was laid out by Captain Hains, assisted by Captain Cannon, of the Third Engineers, and on the 31st the work was begun, in which my command is still engaged.

It is just that I should make some allusion to the services of officers during the campaign, and accordingly I mention the following as worthy of particular notice: Lieutenant Colonel U. B. Pearsall, commanding Fifth Engineers, for his untiring zeal and energy, and for the skill displayed by him in all the engineer operations of the command; Major Samuel Pollock and Captain William H. Morrison, Fifth Engineers, for their skill and energy in constructing roads and bridges; Capts. Arnount Cannon and M. W. Morton, Third Engineers, for able and efficient services in reconnoitering and repairing roads and bridges; Captain John J. Smith and First Lieutenant A. F. Bushnell, of Third Engineers, for their skill and perseverance in the management of the pontoon train; First Lieutenant J. William Haight, jr., adjutant of Third Engineers, for the able and efficient manner in which he performed his duties as acting assistant adjutant-general; First Lieutenant and Quartermaster J. N. Knight, Third