April 22 and 23.-Engaged the enemy on Cane River. Total distance, 250 miles.

May 2.-The brigade marched from Alexandria, La., along Bayou Rapides, 5 miles; thence to Governor Moore's plantation, on Bayou Roberts; arrived on the 3rd.

May 4, 6, and 7.-Engaged the enemy in skirmishes.

May 14.-Marched along Red River via Marksville and Simsport, arriving at the mouth of Red River on the 21st, having engaged the enemy on the 14th on Red River, on the 16th at Marksville, or Belle Prairie, and on the 18th near Yellow Bayou.

May 22.-Embarked and moved up the Mississippi.

May 24.-Arrived at Vicksburg. Total distance traveled, 275 miles.

Numbers 33. Report of Major John C. Becht, Fifth Minnesota Infantry.

HDQRS. FIFTH MINNESOTA VET. VOL. INFANTRY, Vicksburg, Miss., May 25, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report, as briefly as possible, the part taken by the Fifth Minnesota Veterans in the recent Red River expedition. This expedition has been the most severe one in which the regiment has ever been engaged. The fact that it failed in the accomplishment of its professed object and, in fact, suffered unaccountable disaster, made our exodus from the State of Louisiana, consuming forty days, all the more irksome. On the 10th of March we left Vicksburg on board of transports and landed at Simsport, on the Atchafalaya Bayou, on the 12th. Our brigade immediately initiated operations on the Red River by putting to rout General Scurry's command, which was encamped near our landing. The enemy withdrew to Fort Scurry, 3 miles distant, and not fancying the aspect of affairs as we approached in line of battle with fixed bayonets, he forsook his works and beat a hasty retreat. We pursued him for 4 miles and succeeded in capturing his rear guard and 4 loaded wagons, and were then recalled to our boats. At 9 o'clock the same evening General Smith's whole command took up the line of march for Fort De Russy, arriving there at 4 p. m. the next day, and by dusk had the fort and garrison in our possession. This fort was built with the best of engineering skill, and was well calculated for a small force to successfully resist a much superior besieging one. Our brigade during the day was the rear guard of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and came up only in time to form in the second line of battle and witness the glorious sight of our boys scalding the parapets, which were fully 20 feet high from the bottom of the ditch.

On the 15th, we re-embarked on the transports, which had followed us up the river, and took peaceable possession of Alexandria on the 16th. On the 21st, our division, accompanied by a small force of General Banks' cavalry, which had just arrived, made a reconnaissance to Henderson's Hill, 22 miles from Alexandria on the Shreveport road. We made a forced march and found the enemy in a strong position. After a short demonstration in front we commenced a flank movement, crossed a bayou, and entered a pine for-