road on which the infantry advanced. Captain Sample, my assistant adjutant-general, was the first man that arrived at the first section of the enemy's guns; their horses were harnessed and hitched. The Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry were in advance of the infantry, and came up with the guns immediately after Captain Sample, who himself captured several small parties of the rebels. The Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry claim to have captured the next section, which was posted up the road; none of them were there, however, when the Thirty-fifth Iowa arrived at the guns; the men of the Sixteenth Indiana may have been first at the guns and left them for the purpose of capturing prisoners. After capturing the battery and men, I recrossed the bayou and went into camp, having marched 30 miles that day. On the morning of the 22nd, I returned to Alexandria.

I would respectfully call attention to the conduct of Captain Sample, my assistant adjutant-general, who, by his coolness and prudence, captured many squads of the enemy at their camp-fires without allowing them to fire a gun. Also to the gallantry of one of my orderlies, Private Deacon J. Whittaker, Second Iowa Battery, who, while carrying a dispatch, captured a rebel major and two privates and brought them in. I recommend him for promotion. No casualties to report. I send herewith an inventory of ordnance and ordnance stores captured.* A list of prisoners has already been forwarded.

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

JOS. A. MOWER,

Brigadier General, Commanding First and Third Divs., 16th A. C.

Captain J. HOUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST AND THIRD DIVS., 16TH ARMY CORPS, On Steamer Des Moines, March 31, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to the orders of Brigadier General A. J. Smith, I advanced on Fort De Russy on the 14th instant at 4.30 p. m. I made the following disposition of the troops: Colonel Shaw's brigade on the right of the road, excepting one regiment, the Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry, which was moved up on the left, the Third Indiana Battery near the road. While getting these troops into position the enemy opened fire, throwing shell and shrapnel. Colonel Lynch's brigade was then put in position to the left and rear of the fort. I then moved forward the Twenty-fourth Missouri at a double-quick. This was the signal for the assault. The troops advanced in gallant style, the regiments vying with each other in their efforts to be the first in the enemy's works. The regiments of Colonel Lynch's brigade arrived at the works at the same moment with the Twenty-fourth Missouri, of Colonel Shaw's brigade, but owing to their (the Twenty-fourth Missouri) meeting with a formidable abatis they did not get their colors on the works at the same moment. There was not, however, a difference of half a minute in the time of planting the colors by the different regiments. That part of Colonel Shaw's brigade which moved up on the right of the road encountered a bayou, which prevented their getting into the works as soon as the others. The sharp-

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*See p. 314.

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