Jones, with the Eighth Indiana, proceeded to Notasulga, six miles from Loachapoka, to commence near the station and work forward to form a junction with Major Baird. Lieutenant-Colonel Watts, of the Second Kentucky Cavalry, proceeded along the line of railroad from Loachapoka to Notasulga, destroying that portion of the road (six miles) in a most thorough manner. The alacrity with which Lieutenant-Colonel Watts and the officers and men of his regiment entered upon this duty, and the effectual manner in which they performed it, came under my personal observation and deserves honorable mention. Lieutenant-Colonel Jones performed the duty assigned to him promptly and thoroughly, and had destroyed a considerable portion of the track, when information reached me from Major Baird that he had met a superior force of the enemy near Chehaw Station. Directed Colonel Harrison to send the Eighth Indiana forward to his support, which was promptly done, Colonel Harrison himself proceeding forward with the regiment, and an advance was again made. The enemy stubbornly contested the ground, but were driven back by Major Baird until they gained shelter in a ravine, where they maintained their position until a detachment of the Eighth Indiana, sent by Colonel Harrison, turned their left flank and gained their rear, pouring in a heavy fire from their Spencer rifles, whilst Major Baird assailed them in front, when they fell back in confusion, leaving about 40 dead and a large number of wounded on the field. Official reports of our casualties have not been received, but the loss was small, not exceeding 3 killed and 8 or 10 wounded. This loss was principally sustained by the detachment of the Fifth Iowa, under command of Major Baird, which was directly in front of the enemy, and behaved gallantly. Camp Watts, a camp for convalescents and conscripts on the railroad near Notasulga, having temporary buildings for 2,000 or 3,000 men, was destroyed, except the hospital, in which there were about 100 patients. A number of tents and a quantity of quartermaster's and commissary stores were also burned. I then returned to Loachapoka, and proceeded toward Opelika, overtaking Colonel Hamilton, three miles beyond Auburn, where the command halted until morning, without water or forage; the men were much fatigued with their exhausting labors.

On the morning of the 19th Colonel Harrison was ordered to proceed with the Eighth Indiana and Second Kentucky along the railroad to Opelika; Colonel Hamilton, with the Ninth Ohio, to march to a point on the Columbus railroad two miles from its junction with the West Point and Montgomery Railroad at Opelika, each to destroy the roads to the junction. Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick, with the Fifth Iowa and Fourth Tennessee, was ordered to destroy the railroad and depot at Opelika and the track toward West Point. These orders were all executed promptly. About 20,000 pounds of bacon, 10,000 pounds of sugar, 12,000 pounds of flour, and other commissary stores were obtained and issued to the command or destroyed. Six cars, loaded with leather, nails, shovels, and other articles were burned on the track, and a turn-table and Y destroyed. The whole length of railroad destroyed was over 30 miles, including a number of trestle bridges, a water-tank at Notasulga, the station buildings, &c., at Opelika, Auburn, Loachapoka, Notasulga, and considerable amounts of supplies and materials at each of those points, of which exact details cannot be given. The works of destruction began about 10 o'clock on the evening of the 17th, and