formed its support under cover of the levee 50 yards in rear. At sunrise I attacked a gun-boat, and after an engagement of thirty-five minutes drove it off badly disabled. It was towed up to Napoleon seriously damaged. I then moved down the river rapidly and took position at Daniel Sessions' plantation and immediately attacked two transports coming up the river. They were disabled in a short time, turned back, got around a bend, were on fire, and were burned, as I am informed,a few hours afterward. Lawther's regiment coming down I detached one section and moved on with four pieces to Columbia. Lawther engaged a transport and gun-boat, which, passing down, came upon my battery. The transport was armed with one 18-pounder Parrott. I opened on her, riddled her upper works, and penetrated her hull. She filled, careened over, and made for the other bank out of range disabled.

I now marched with the full battery and Lawther's and Greene's regiments to Leland's, 1 1/2 miles below. This position was an exposed one. We went into battery and awaited the enemy's approach. He came down in line of battle, crescent harped, with two marine-boats, one gun-boat, and a transport. I engaged the fleet, which held its position, maneuvering for near two hours, when it passed on. The gun-boat was disabled, the marine-boat Diana roughly handled, with many killed and wounded, and the transport penetrated in many places.

Once more I limbered up and moved in gallop back to Columbia; went into battery there, and at once engaged the gun-boat Romeo. She was quickly disposed of; struck seventeen times; greatly damaged; got out of the way, and has not since made its appearance before my batteries.

Before leaving camp on Bayour Mason I sent Captain Jacobs, Company F, Fourth Regiment, with a detachment of 40 men, down the river to make a reconnaissance, and with orders to board a transport if opportunity offered. On the morning of the day of the operations herein reported he seized a yawl near Ford's Landing and successfully boarded and captured the steamer Lebanon, upon which he found large quantities of goods, stores, &c. He burned the boat. After the second engagement at Columbia I bivouacked at Sanders', on the river, and marched at 2 o'clock that night back to Gaines' Landing. There I found three gun-boats, which I avoided engaging for want of ammunition, but whose fire I drew by sharpshooters while I moved my column by a circuitous road and struck the river 10 miles above. This occupied the day of the 25th, upon which no transports appeared.

On the 26th, I attacked a large transport in sight of a gun-boat. Struck her several times, but am not informed of the damage done her. Ont he same day I received an order from you to return to camp, which I reached at night. On the 27th, I marched with the brigade to Parker's, on Bayour Mason. Ont he 28th, encamped on Old River Lake, near Ditch Bayou. Ont he 29th, I moved with Burbridge's, Jeffers', and Kitchen's regiments to Smith's plantation, 4 miles above Sunnyside, on the Mississippi, and immediately attacked a passing transport, which was struck many times, but got safely off.

At daybreak on the 30th, I attacked the transport Clara Eames; cut her escape-pipe and penetrated her boiler. She made signs of distress; came ashore and surrendered. She was loaded with cotton.