through a swamp about 3 miles wide, and forded a stream which was about 3 1/2 feet deep. I pushed the cavalry forward 4 miles farther, but the enemy had crossed the stream and burned the bridge after them. At one time we had three, which had been captured by 7 men, under Adjutant Conover, of the SIXTEENTH Indiana, of whose gallantry I cannot speak too highly. When he was in advance of the command with this small force, he saw these wagons retreating in advance of the guns, and made a dash upon them, capturing the whole number, and held them until the enemy came up and drove him away with his shell. The prisoners nearly all escaped in the woods.

On the 24th instant, I returned to the transports, bringing with me all the cattle, mules, and horses that I could collect- about 200 mules, 100 head of cattle, and 25 horses, as near as I can approximate to the number captured without a statement from the quartermaster's department.

I found the citizens more willing to give up their negroes than their stock, especially horses and mules, and in nearly every instance they had attempted to hide them from us.

I found the country that I have been through abounding in corn, and where cotton had been burned it was where they were afraid of its falling into our hands. I saw in the vicinity of Greenville nearly 2,000 bales of cotton.

My command, consisting of the SIXTEENTH Indiana, Colonel T. J. Lucas; Twenty-THIRD Wisconsin, Colonel J. J. Guppey; Ninety-sixth Ohio, Colonel J. W. Vance; Sixty-seventh Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Buehler commanding; Eighty-THIRD Ohio, Major [S. S] L'Hommedieu, Jr. ; and Sixtieth Indiana, Captain Pleisch commanding; four pieces of the SEVENTEENTH Ohio Battery, Lieutenant James Rice, and the detachment of the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, about 60 men of Captain Chambers' company, under Major Montgomery, making about 1,600 effective men.

It gives me pleasure to speak in the highest terms of the officers and men of my command. The infantry were always ready, and there was very little straggling. The cavalry that was with me on the expedition I can recommend as the most efficient body of men in that arm of the service that I have ever met with.

To Captain Sutherland, of the steam ram Monarch, I am indebted for many acts of courtesy in his official capacity. His ram was with my transports from the time we reached Greenville until our return, and I was by that means able to leave the boats with no guard, and take all the well men with me in whatever expedition I needed them.

I find that there are no road improvements in the country, and it is impossible for infantry to be effective against cavalry in such a country. Their information is always better than our own; the citizens all sympathize with them. The only force which can capture any of those rebel forces that fire into our transports is cavalry or mounted infantry, and light mountain howitzers. I believe that there is hardly 20 miles between this point and where I have been that they do not have their spies or pickets, and as the people assert that it is not their intention to fight, they can only be captured by a chase.

To Colonel Wright, Sixth Missouri Cavalry, who was with me during the whole of the expedition, my thanks are due for officiant service.

I am, with much respect, &c.,

S. G. BURBRIDGE,

Brigadier-General.

Lieutenant J. HOUGH,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Tenth Div., Thirteenth Army Corps.