Unsigned memorandum indorsed by Secretary of War as "General Halleck's report."

The campaign of 1863 had virtually closed at the date of my last annual report, and military operations during the winter and previous to the appointment of Lieutenant-General Grant to the general command were confined, in most of the departments, to making and repelling raids with unimportant results to either party. In the early part of November Brigadier-General Averell encountered and defeated a rebel force at Droop Mountain, near Lewisburg, capturing a piece of artillery and about 100 prisoners. Our loss was 129 killed, wounded, and missing. The reported loss of the enemy, killed and wounded, about 250. In another cavalry raid to Salem in December General Averell destroyed a large quantity of rebel stores with slight losses on both sides in killed and wounded. The rebels made several attempts during the winter to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, but caused very little damage.

In February Brigadier-General Seymour undertook an expedition have been published by Congress.

Major General William T. Sherman in February last made an expedition from Vicksburg across the State of Mississippi, destroying a large extent of railroads and a great amount of rolling-stock and public stores. His loss was only 170 in killed, wounded, and missing, while he brought in some 400 prisoners of war, 3,000 animals, 1,000 white and 5,000 colored refugees. In this and the co-operating expedition, under Brigadier General W. Sooy Smith, 140 miles of railroad were destroyed.

In the early part of November General Banks sent an expedition to the coast of Texas, which captured and occupied Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Aransas, &c. On the 3rd of November Brigadier-General Burbridge had a severe engagement with the enemy at Bayou Bourbeux, La., in which he lost 716 men. On the arrival of re-enforcement, under Brigadier-General Cameron, the rebels retreated. From this time until the early part of March General Banks was preparing his forces for an expedition up Red River, in which he was to have had the co-operation of General Sherman after his return to Vicksburg.

near the end of November General Meade crossed the Rapidan and made an unsuccessful attempt to turn the enemy's intrenched position on Mine Run. The only other operation of the Army of the Potomac during the winter was an unsuccessful cavalry raid by Brigadier-Generals Kilpatrick and Custer about the 1st of March upon Richmond. Our loss in this expedition was about 400 killed, wounded, and missing. Among the first was Colonel Dahlgren, an officer of much promise. Our loss in the affair of Mine Run, 1,661 in all.

The remaining military operations of this year are given in the report of the lieutenant-general.

STATE HOUSE, Augusta, Me., March 12, 1864.

Colonel J. B. FRY:

In crediting enlisted men in the Navy to the several States, under recent act of Congress, cannot some plan be adopted which will give