I shall defer my detailed report of the campaign until reports and returns of casualties can be obtained from subordinate commanders, giving in this only a synopsis of the operations since the 18th ultimo. The command had been on short rations during the whole campaign, except when occasionally supplies could be obtained in the country. On the 20th ultimo we received a supply from Pine Bluff, with ten days' half rations for the command. Some meat was obtained on the east side of the Ouachita, and one small grist-mill and ten handbills were constantly kept at work grinding corn, for which the country for a great distance from Camden on both sides of the river was scoured. Four thousand or 5,000 bushels were captured on the steamer Homer. The rebels destroyed all the good mills and all the corn in the neighborhood of Camden. On the 22nd ultimo the supply train was sent back under escort of a brigade of infantry (about 1,600 men), 400 cavalry, and four pieces of artillery. Captain Dunham, bearer of dispatches from General Banks, arrived, confirming the report which I had previously received that Banks had fallen back behind entrenchments at Grand Ecore. I also received information that Price had been re-enforced by 8,000 infantry from Shreveport. In the evening of this day he opened with artillery upon my out-posts. Captain Dunham returned with dispatches to General Banks, informing him of my inability to advance on account of a want of supplies and the superior rebel force in front of me. He had sent me a request to move forward at once and join him on Red River. On the night of the 25th, we learned that the train, the artillery, and most of the infantry of the escort had been captured by a force under Fagan, said to be 5,000 or 6,000 strong. This force must have crossed the Ouachita 50 or 60 miles below Camden, as my cavalry scouting parties and spies reported the country all clear between the Moro and Washita, and that no crossing of the river by rebels could be heard of. The rebels came up between the Moro and Saline and attacked the train about 8 miles from the crossing on the latter in the Moro Swamp. Our troops fought gallantly, but were overwhelmed by a dash of the rebels. Lieutenant-Colonel Drake, their gallant commander, was severely wounded and taken prisoner. About 500 veterans of the First Iowa Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Caldwell, going on furlough, were a few miles in rear of the train when it was attacked. On hearing the firing they pressed forward, but were met by a superior force and fighting fell back. I sent all of my available cavalry to their support. They returned to Camden, having lost 1 lieutenant captured and a few men wounded. They captured a rebel captain and killed a colonel, who led the attack upon them.

We received information through prisoners, deserters, and spies that Kirby Smith had come up with re-enforcements from Shreveport, and was been supplied at Camden I could have held the place against Kirby Smith's entire force, but on learning that my communications were effectually interrupted, and that the line of the Arkansas was threatened by so large a force of the enemy, I decided to fall back at once. The ammunition and baggage trains were put across the river on the pontoon bridge, and at nightfall on the 26th the troops commenced to cross, the pickets being kept in position until everything was over, when they were quietly withdrawn and the pontoon bridge taken up without any suspicion on the part of the enemy that the movement had commenced. To avoid the bad