(No. 5.)

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
Grand Ecore, La., April 12, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department of the Gulf:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report, in reply to your communication of this date, desiring a statement of any information I might have concerning the movements of General Cameron, that at about 5 o'clock on the afternoon of the 9th instant, during the engagement at Pleasant Hill, I was ordered by General Stone to proceed on the Natchitoches road about 2 miles, where I would find General Cameron with about 2,000 men, and direct him to detach about one-half of his force, and placing them under the command of a competent officer to send them to support the battery on our left flank, near the brick house, to which point I was to conduct them. I immediately started out on the road pointed out, and after riding about a mile I came across a road branching off to the left, and near which a company of cavalry was stationed on picket. Not being able to learn which of these roads was the right one, I obtained three orderlies from the commanding officer of this company, and sent one of them down this left-hand road with directions to go about 2 miles, and if he could find General Cameron to say to him that an officer from General Banks' headquarters was looking for him with such orders, giving him the orders I had received from General Stone. I then continued on, as I could get no information from the officer of this picket concerning the whereabouts of General Cameron, and seeing tracks of infantry on the road, I passed our vedettes, and rode on some 3 or 4 miles, but seeing no signs of any force, I concluded to return and see what success my orderly had met with on the other road, at the same time sending my two remaining orderlies to go about 2 miles farther on this road, so as to make sure, of finding him if there. On my return to the picket-post above referred to I was informed by the commanding officer that my orderly had returned from the other road, reporting that he had gone on until he met the commanding officer of the picket stationed there, who informed him that there were none of our forces outside of his, and that he had seen nothing of General Cameron or his command in that direction. Having now been absent some time, and fearing a continuance of the same would not be justified, I gave up my search and returned to the field, it being nearly dark. I was unable to find General Stone and reported to General Banks, who told me it was all right, and that General Cameron had been in the engagement.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. SIMPSON,

Lieutenant and Actg. Aide-de-camp to Major-General Banks.

CAMP OF DETACHMENT THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

Grand Ecore, La., April 16, 1864.

MAJOR: In pursuance of orders, I herewith report the part taken by the Third Division in the campaign from Natchitoches, La., to Sabine Cross-Roads, and of the detachment of the Thirteenth Army Corps, consisting of the Third and Fourth Divisions, after the battle of Mansfield and the wounding of Brigadier-General Ransom up to their arrival at this place. The Third Division left Natchitoches on the