HEADQUARTERS WALKER'S DIVISION, Near Carroll Jones', Parish of Rapides, La., March 19, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the major-general commanding the District of West Louisiana, that on the 12th instant I was informed by Brigadier-General Scurry, commanding on Yellow Bayou, 4 miles from Simsport, that the enemy had landed a small force that day at the latter point. I received this information at 5 p. m., which I immediately dispatched to you. At 7 p. m. of the same day I dispatched to you the subsequently received intelligence from General Scurry that the enemy's force was very large, occupying twenty-seven transports and escorted by fourteen gun-boats, and that they were then debarking at Simsport with their artillery and trains.*

Upon the first information General Scurry had moved down in the direction of the Atchafalaya with the purpose of attacking the enemy and driving him abroard of his vessels, but subsequent and more correct information as to the strength of the enemy induced him to fall back to Moreauville, 11 miles west of Simsport. The defenses constructed with so much labor at Yellow Bayou were rendered useless by the drying up of the swamps on the flanks, which were depended on as the chief means of defense. To avoid being cut off from Marksville by the enemy coming by a practicable road from Old River to the big bend of the De Glaize, this movement to the rear became necessary.

The night of the 12th was spent in withdrawing my infantry and light artillery from a point on Red River 7 or 8 miles below Fort De Russy and making preparations to march to General Scurry's support, who was instructed to delay the march of the enemy as much as possible, and in case he was pressed to fall back to the west of Bayou De Glaize and take position at the long bridge at Bout De Bayou, to resist the enemy's advance until I could re-enforce him.

Upon reaching Bout De Bayou the next morning I found that General Scurry had fallen back across the De Glaize and was taking position at the long bridge already mentioned. All the cavalry under my command having been cut off in Pointe coupe by the entrance into the Atchafalaya of the enemy's gun-boats, I was wholly without the means of gaining information, as the enemy kept his front well covered by his small cavalry force. Late that night I received intelligence from Lieutenant Robinson, whom I had sent out to gain information, that from citizens he had learned that the enemy were re-embarking for the purpose of ascending Red River.

Soon after daylight on the 14th, this information was proven incorrect by hearing the sound of numerous drums in the distance in the direction of Simsport, and as the morning advanced it became apparent that the enemy in force was approaching our position. As to his strength we could only form a conjecture, as he kept his front too well covered to permit our obtaining a view of his infantry column, until at about 8.30 o'clock in the morning it reached Moreauville, and turning to the left defiled along the banks of the De Glaize in full view of our pickets, whom they drove in by a musketry and artillery fire. His column, then exposed to our view, extended for 2 1\2 miles along the banks of the De Glaize, through the village of Moreauville, and disappeared in the cut-off in the direction of the Atchafalaya. The force thus displayed consisted, as near as could be arrived

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*See p. 597.

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