light when it is considered that I was twice engaged at short range with nearly four times my number of infantry, and that I was for two hours under a heavy fire of artillery.

WM. T. SHAW,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain J. B. SAMPLE,

Asst. Adjt. General, 1st and 3rd Divs., 16th Army Corps.

Itinerary of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, March 10 - May 24.*

March 10.- The brigade left Vicksburg as part of the Red River expedition, under command of Brigadier General A. J. Smith.

March 12.- Entered the mouth of Red River.

March 14.- Marched across from Atchafalaya River to Fort De Russy, on Red River. The brigade, being in advance of the army, attacked, and, after fighting two hours, charged upon and captured the fort with upward of 200 prisoners and 10 pieces of artillery. The distance marched from Atchafalaya to Red River was 35 miles.

March 16.- The brigade came to Alexandria.

March 26.- Marched to Cotile Landing, 20 miles.

April 2.- Left Cotile Landing, on Red River, La., on board transports.

April 3.- Reached Grand Ecore, La.; lay in camp until the 7th.

April 7.- Moved out as part of Brigadier-General Smith's command on the Shreveport road.

April 8.- Encamped at night near Pleasant Hill, La.

April 9.- the brigade was ordered to report to General Banks at Pleasant Hill. By him it was ordered to the front to report to Brigadier-General Emory. General Emory ordered the brigade to relieve Brigadier-General McMillan's brigade in the extreme front. Heavy skirmishing was kept up for six hours, when the enemy appeared in force, and a severe engagement followed, in which the Second Brigade lost in killed and wounded 484 men.

April 10.- In the morning the brigade covered the retreat of the army.

April 11.- Reached Grand Ecore.

April 13.- Crossed Red River, and proceeded up on the opposite side a few miles above Campti to relieve the transport, hemmed in by a force of the enemy, consisting of 1,500 men and a battery of four guns.

April 14.- This effected, it returned to Grand Ecore, where it lay until the 20th.

April 20.- The brigade, with the remainder of Brigadier General A. J. Smith's command, moved to Natchitoches, 4 miles distant, and remained there until the evening of the 21st.

April 22.- Moved out, falling in the rear of General Bank's army. April 23.- The brigade was present at the engagement which took place at Cane River in the afternoon and morning of the 14th.

April 26.- The brigade reached Alexandria.

April 30.- The brigade is now protecting General Bank's army, whose principal business seems to be speculating in cotton and sugar.

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* From returns for March, April, and May.

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