foot and partly by wagon, to Doctor May's plantation, where I proposed organizing a party for the expedition to intercept the enemy should they return to Dunn's Creek after the steamer Saint Mary's. On my way, and on arriving at the plantation above named, I found that the two volunteer companies organizing in that vicinity had mostly gone to Hawkinsville, on the Saint John's, to assist in protecting and securing the Government property then being transported from New Smyrna. In consequence I determined to call on Captain Pearson's company, campde about fifteen miles from Doctor May's plantation, and procured a gorse and proceeded to his camp, which I reached on the 1st of April. I arranged with Captain Pearson to meet at the landing on Etonia Creek, eight miles from the Saint John's River, on Thursday evening, there to await my return from a visit to the esast side of Saint John's River with such information as I. could obtain relative to the movements of the enemy, and should it be found that they had passed up the river for Dunn's Creek then to throw the company across the river on Friday night and march on the east bank up to Dunn's Creek, a distance of ten miles, with the necessary implements for blocking up the creek. On examining the river on Thursday and inquiring of Mr. Cruse, living at Orange Mills, I found the enemy had gone down the river a few days previous, and Mr. Cruse gave it as his opinion from an inquiry made by him of Captain Stephens, the commander of the enemy's forces, "that they did not intend returning up the river, at least for some time." On Friday, the 4th, I recrossed the river late in the afternoon to the place of rendezvous agreed on with Captain Pearson, and informed him what I had learned (as stated above), when he expressed his determination to cross the river to Orange Mills and there lie in ambush and await the coming of the enemy at that place, and should they land, to then and there attack them. About forty men were taken over the river thet nigthin a quarter of a mile of the mill wharf, the boats making two trips during the night under the pilotage of Mr. Purviance, a distance of sixteen miles each way. The remainder of the men were to march down on the west side of the river to Doctor Verdier's place opposite to the mill, to be crossed on Saturday night. The crossins were effected at night to avoid publicity and every means taken to secure sececy. Before these last men were crossedx, and just at dusk Saturday afternoon, the enemy's propeller hove in sight and cast anchor some four miles bolow the mills and immediately opposite the place of Mr. Cornelius Dupont. Every prepartaion was made by postin sentinels to guard against a surprise dduring the night and to be in readiness to ambush the men betimes the following morning, which was accordingly done. The men remained concealed from the river until about sunset on Sunday, previous to which, from the movememnts of boats on the river and persons on shore, it became evident that the enemy had been informed that danger lurked in that vicinity, and Captain Pearson, as well as myself, deemed further delay or attempt at a surprise useless, and Captain Pearsno determined to recross the river, and as soon as night approached he marched his company to Palatka, and by an early hour on Monday morning was seven miles on his road from Palatka toward his camp, having crossed his men without the least delay or accident at the ferry. During Sunday night Mr. Purviance and Doctor Babcock, both volunteers for the expedition, and myself, with five of Captain Pearson's men, returned with the boats to the landing on Etonia Creek, and thus ended myu ateempt to surprise the enemy, which I am convinced ailed through information furnished them by traitors living in our midst and