northeast corner of Marshall County. Here we encamped for the night. About nightfall I took 15 men, and pressing a guide made my [way] northward to LA Fayette Depot. When we arrived within three-fourths of a mile of the depot, we dismounted, leaving the main road. We proceeded on foot, and within 300 yards of the depot crossed the railroad and moved in the direction of some camp fires, supposed to be pickets. When we had arrived within 100 yards of them, we halted. I took 1 man, and advanced near enough to find the exact position and strength of the enemy. I found one company of men intrenched, or inside their fortifications, in the shape of a half-moon, built of logs and dirt. I threw my men in line, and marched up in rear of this place and within 25 or 30 paces of its mouth before we were halted. I had selected some men to fire upon the pickets so soon as we were halted by them. This was well executed. We then rushed up and poured in a volley of buckshot while the enemy were getting over their breastworks.

We learned from a reliable source that the enemy's loss was 10 killed and wounded and several MISSING. We sustained no loss, a few balls passing through some of the men's clothing.

We left back to our horses and made our way back to camp about sunrise. After stopping two or three hours, we started in the direction of Moscow. We left in with Captain Mitchell, who had about 50 men. At noon we halted to feed, and about 4 o'clock were attacked by the Seventh Kansas Cavalry. We exchanged a few shots with them and fell back. The enemy had sent three companies on our left and two on right to cut off our retreat. They captured 6 men of our rear guard, viz, J. H. Jones, J. N. McDonald, Adolphus Motley, Samuel Johnson, J. W. Ward, and P. B. Waldraup. We had 1 man wounded slightly and 1 horse killed.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. J. FLOYD,

Lieutenant, Commanding Peach Creek Rangers,

(Company H, 18th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry).

Brigadier General JAMES R. CHALMERS.

MARCH 14-27, 1863. - The Steele's Bayou Expedition (to Rolling Fork, MISS., by Muddy, Steele's, and Black Bayous and Deer Creek), with skirmishes (21st and 22nd) on Deer Creek and (24th and 25th) on Black Bayou.

REPORTS. *

Number 1. - Major General William T. Sherman, U. S. Army, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps.

Number 2. - Brigadier General David Stuart, U. S. Army, commanding SECOND DIVISION.

Number 3. - Colonel Giles A. Smith, Eight Missouri Infantry, commanding First Brigade.

Number 4. - Colonel George B. Hoge, One hundred and thirteenth Illinois Infantry.

Number 5. - Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith, FIFTY-fourth Ohio Infantry, commanding SECOND Brigade.

Number 6. - Lieutenant Colonel Americus V. Rice, FIFTY-seventh Ohio Infantry, commanding regiment and SECOND Brigade.

* For reports of Actg. Rear-Admiral David D. Porter and Lieutenant Commanders James P. Foster, Watson Smith, and John G. Walker, U. S. Navy, see Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 7, 1863.