To Colonels Grinsted and Gause I am deeply indebted for the promptness with which they obeyed my orders, for the gallantry and zeal they manifested upon the field in the management of their commands. No officers could have acted with more coolness, bravery, and determination than they did, for which they deserve well of their country. The officers and men of the division fought well and are deserving of credit. I would particularly call attention to Colonel Shaver, who commanded a regiment in the brigade commanded by Colonel Grinsted. The coolness, judgment, and bravery with which he managed his regiment deserve special mention.

I am under great obligations to the members of my staff-Captain Amos Tappan and Captain J. J. Horner, and Lieutenant William P. McCabe and Lieutenant Charles Mitchell. They bore themselves with distinguished gallantry and rendered me great assistance. The same may be said of my volunteer aides-Dr. Thomas G. Polk, of Mississippi, and C. E. Ives, of Arkansas. That night I carried my command to the camp selected and reported in person to General Churchill.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. TAPPAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Lieutenant A. H. SEVIER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 99. Reports of Brigadier General Hamilton P. Bee, C. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Division.

HEADQUARTERS BEE'S DIVISION OF CAVALRY,
Pleasant Hill, La., April 10, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report operations of my command in the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill.

I marched from Columbus, on the Colorado River, in Texas, March 11, with six regiments of cavalry-Debray's, Buchel's, Terrell's, Woods', Gould's, and Likens'-and reported to General Richard Taylor, commanding army of operations in Louisiana, on April 5 at Mansfield, La., with the three first-named regiments. The others, being delayed by incidents of so long march, did not arrive in time to participate in the battles of the 8th and 9th.

On the afternoon of the 7th, was ordered to report to Major General Tom Green, commanding cavalry corps, and did so at 5 o'clock at a creek some 12 miles from Mansfield, on road to Natchitoches; found the general skirmishing heavily with the enemy across the creek. My command was formed in reserve and slept on their arms in line of battle.

At daylight General Green moved back to Mansfield with all of his cavalry and artillery, leaving me with three regiments of cavalry to contest the advance of the enemy, which was successfully done by forming the regiments in successive lines of battle, with interval of 500 yards to the rear, and thus was enabled, owing to the dense wooded country, to delay their advance by forcing them to deploy into line and attack my position, when the regiment engaged, after holding the ground as long as practicable, retired behind the successive regiment, and thus by these successive formations the