from my command before going into action, and the part taken by them in it not coming under my observation, I respectfully submit herewith their official reports, marked A and B; also, for details, copies of the official reports of Brigadier-General Clark and Colonel Burns, commanding Second Brigade, marked C and D.

Very respectfully,

M. M. PARSONS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel J. F. BELTON,

Asst. Adjt. General, District of Arkansas.

Numbers 66. Report of Brigadier General John B. Clark, jr., commanding First Brigade, of engagement at Jenkins' Ferry.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, PARSONS' DIVISION,
Camp Harris, May 9, 1864.

MAJOR: After halting for an hour near the scene of the engagement of Saline River on the 30th, I was ordered to move my brigade forward in quick time in the direction of the firing, which had become very frequent and heavy. I formed my command in line of battle on the right of Burns' brigade on the high ground, immediately before descending into the low grounds, where the battle was fought. In a short time I was ordered to move my command by the right flank in quick time down the road leading to the ferry on Saline and men. Arriving in rear of Brigadier-General Churchill's command, I was detached from the division and ordered to remain as a reserve in conjunction with Gause's brigade, Churchill's division. Gause's brigade being ordered in a short time to advance, I applied to Major-General Price to make some disposition of my command. He gave me the order to advance immediately on the left of Gause's brigade directly to the front. The enemy in my front were beyond an open field, concealed behind logs and underbrush, silently awaiting the attack from our force. Notwithstanding my front was perfectly naked of any protection for my command in its advance upon the enemy, and the whole face of the open ground swept by heavy front and flank fires from the enemy's lines, my command with a right-shoulder-shift moved off with the steadiness of veterans. Discovering, after having gone two thirds of the way through the fields, that our line on my right had halted, and from a regiment of the enemy beyond the bayou on which my left rested [sic], I halted the command with the order to fire, believing that a farther advance would be attended with too great danger. My command remained in this position some thirty minutes, pouring a steady and regular fire into the enemy's ranks, and receiving all the time the fire of at least twice our numbers.

Too much cannot be said in praise of the coolness and indomitable pluck of my little command on this occasion. Finding that the line on rich was falling back, I ordered my command to retire to the wood immediately in the rear and reform, which was done in good order and without trepidation. Reporting with my command,