No. 17. Report of Major Edward Wright, Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, of engagement at Sabine Cross-Roads.

HDQRS. TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLS.,
Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to orders I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa Volunteers Infantry in the expedition from Natchitoches, La., to Sabine Cross-Roads:

The regiment, numbering 388, rank and file, marched with the brigade from Natchitoches on the 6th instant, arriving at Pleasant Hill on the evening of the 7th, without anything particular having occurred. On the morning of the 8th, five companies, viz, A, D, I, C, and H, were detailed as train guard and marched in rear of the Third Division train. The other four companies under my command marched to a point 7 miles distant from Sabine Cross-Roads, and went into camp with the brigade on a branch of Saint Patrick's Bayou. About 2 p.m. the command was ordered to the front, where the Fourth Division was engaged with the enemy. We arrived on the battle-field about 4 p.m., and were joined by Company F, provost guard at division headquarters. The command then numbered 159, rank and file. I was ordered to move in rear of the Twenty-eighth Iowa and Fifty-sixth Ohio, on the left of the road as reserve, and move forward, preserving a distance of 200 yards in the rear. The command remained in this position for about half an hour, when I was ordered to move forward and engage the enemy at once, which I did by obliquing to the left and coming in on the left of the Twenty-eighth Iowa. We held this position for near one hour, when the balance of the brigade having exhausted their ammunition, we were compelled to retire before a much superior force both on our left flank and in our front. Then, in obedience to orders, we fell back with the remainder of the brigade to Pleasant Hill, and went into camp on the morning of the 9th instant at 7 o'clock. Our loss was 1 surgeon and 29 enlisted men, a part of whom were wounded.

My command on the morning of the 9th numbered 362 enlisted men, 296 of whom are armed and equipped, 23 sick, 13 on extra duty, 30 without arms. This does not include Company F, which is still on duty at division headquarters.

I am, very respectfully,

ED. WRIGHT,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant C. B. BRADSHAW,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 18. Report of Captain Thomas Dillon, Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry, of engagement at Sabine Cross-Roads.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-EIGHTH IOWA INFANTRY,
Grand Ecore, La., April 13, 1864.

MAJOR: In compliance with circular issued from headquarters U. S. Forces Western Louisiana, bearing date April 11, 1864, I herewith