In this affair we dismounted one of the enemy's guns, which they concealed, and retreated during the night. Marmaduke with Shelby had been previously detached, if possible, to reach his front and impede his advance. This, owing to the distance to be traveled over, the scarcity of forage, and the exhausted condition of the horses, and the rapid flight of the enemy, was not fully successful, though every foot of their advance was disputed, and the debris of trains, camp equipage, and scattered clothing along their line of march showed how disastrous was their retreat from Moscow.

On the evening of April 15, the enemy occupied Camden, Colonel Lawther with his regiment gallantly disputing their advance and giving them volley after volley as he slowly retreated through the streets of the town. On April 16, I established my headquarters at Woodlawn, my troops being so disposed as to watch all the approaches to or from Camden, on the south side of the Ouachita River. On the 17th, the enemy sent out a foraging train of some 225 wagons, guarded by about 1,500 men and four pieces of artillery. Early on the morning of the 18th, dispositions were made to attack them on their return, Brigadier-General Maxey being in command of the expedition. This was a perfect success. Their whole train was captured, all their artillery, and a large number of prisoners. The enemy were completely routed, leaving near 500 dead (mostly negroes) on the field. Among the killed was Colonel Williams, who commanded them.* This was at a point on the old Washington, details of this brilliant affair, I respectfully refer to the reports of Brigadier-General Maxey and the subordinate commanders, herewith transmitted. On April 19, General Smith reached the field of operations, and on the 20th and following days Churchill's and Parsons' divisions of infantry arrived from Louisiana. On April 19, Brigadier-General Fagan received orders to cross the Ouachita with his own division, consisting of Cabell's, Dockery's, and Crawford's brigades, to which Shelby's brigade was temporarily attached, and to attack and cut off all trains of the enemy he might find on that side of the river. On the evening of the 23rd, to divert attention from this movement, a feint was made upon the city of Camden. The Arkansas and Missouri divisions of infantry were moved up on the Wire road, the enemy's pickets driven in beyond the bridge over Two Bayous, 1 mile from the town, and shell thrown front Lesueur's battery into the woods on the other side, with good effect. Several of the enemy are said to have been killed; 23 were wounded, and great alarm produced, without any loss on our part.

On April 25, Brigadier-General Fagan, having made a forced march, attacked at Marks' Mills a train of several hundred wagons, guarded by a brigade of infantry, 500 cavalry, and six pieces of artillery, on its way from Camden to Pine Bluff for supplies. The victory was complete. All their wagons fell into our hands. All their artillery (6 pieces), 4 stand of colors, and 1,100 prisoners were captured, the enemy losing in killed near 500 men, Lieutenant-Colonel Drake, who was in command, being mortally wounded. The mail, containing official reports and returns from Major-General Steele, with information of much value to us, was found in train. The reports of Brigadier-General Fagan and those of his brigade commanders, forwarded herewith, furnish full particulars of the engagement.

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*A mistake. See Williams' report, p.743.

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