large steamers which I had expressly stipulated with General Kilby Smith were not to come up the river. We were detained six hours lightening one of them loaded with ammunition, and the others were constantly getting into trouble. General Kilby Smith was in no way responsible for this outrageous proceeding, for it was done after we department from Grand Ecore, and that officer left nothing undone to co-operate with me and carry the expedition through successfully. On all occasions I found General Smith ready and willing to co-operate in the same harmonious manner that has always existed between the Navy and the Army of the Tennessee. I am sure nothing will occur to interrupt that good feeling. As I anticipated, the rebels were soon aware of our turning back, and were after us like a pack of wolves. They assailed us from every point, but the dispositions that were made always foiled-them. We always drove them away with loss. The large transports so impeded us that it was with difficulty we made more than 20 miles a day, and it seemed that everything we came in contact with belonging to Banks' army was disorderly and a drawback to us. My gun-boats were helping them off of sandbars half the time, they having no disposition to help each other.

Small bands of 100 or 150 had followed us along until we arrived at a place called Graff's Bluff, where our friends, the negroes, informed us that the rebels had a battery. It was above 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and I laid to the bank while two gun-boats could get into position to whip the battery. They were permitted to occupy the place quietly, and I began to think there was none about. We shelled the woods in all directions and they kept quiet. At this moment a tremendous fire of musketry and heavy cannon, interspersed with artillery, broke out about 3 miles behind us. It sounded like a heavy battle. Hearing all the guns of the gun-boats, I did not fear for the result. It lasted so long that I at last turned my head upstream to join in the fray, and met a gun-boat a coming down, whose captain told me it was all over and the rebels had fled, so I tied up to the bank again, expecting the attack in front, when the firing commenced again and lasted until nearly sunset; in all, two hours.

It turned out to be what I had been expecting, and attack with artillery and infantry, 2,000 strong, in our rear, General Kilby Smith and two transports being divided from the main body by the artillery, which it was not proper to pass until silenced by the gunboats. This body of men was commanded by General Green, the best man they have, and one in whom the rebels place more confidence than any one else. He led his men to the very edge of the banks, they shouting and yelling like madmen. They were handsomely received by the Osage and Lexington in the old style. General Smith, in the Hastings, with part of his men poured in his fire, and amongst us the rebels were cut into mince-meat. General Green and Colonel Chisum had their heads blown off with an 11-inch shell.

The ground was covered with killed and wounded and without great loss to ourselves. We shipped out 2,000 rebels, and kept 5,000 more in the rear of us from advancing, not liking the reports of the first party's reception. This saved us from further molestation as far as large parties were concerned, but we were terribly annoyed by small bands. It being moonlight I ordered all the transports to leave, and had they taken advantage of the time they would have arrived in Grand Ecore next morning. After getting them all ahead I reversed the order of sailing and followed them up, but when I