You will also report to these headquarters daily of the progress of your operations. Any re-enforcements you may request will be promptly forwarded.

While you are authorized to draw provisions and forage from the country, giving receipts to owners, payable upon satisfactory proof of their loyalty at the end of the rebellion, you will be strict and prompt to prevent and punish marauding. Let nothing be taken except by your order.

Until otherwise ordered, you will report to these headquarters, through your DIVISION commander, Brigadier-General Osterhaus.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McClernand,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure B.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Milliken's Bend, April 1, 1863.

[General OSTERHAUS,

Commanding NINTH DIVISION:]

GENERAL: Upon the arrival at Richmond of the re-enforcements ordered forward this evening, and the completion of the bridge in process of construction there, you will immediately order forward a detachment of infantry and cavalry, accompanied by mountain howitzers, to reconnoiter, as far as practicable, the road to New Carthage. I think the detachment should consist of two regiments of infantry and all the cavalry you can make available without withdrawing your mounted pickets at Richmond. If you can provide subsistence for them, and should deem it essential to protect the road to New Carthage from interruption, you will leave a detachment behind at some eligible point, under instructions to report at short intervals to you, through the commanding officer at Richmond.

The cavalry party reconnoitering to-day toward New Carthage found a party of the enemy. You will order all such parties to be boldly attacked, and captured or dispersed.

I think it expedient that you should personally conduct the expedition.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McClernand,

Major-General, Commanding.

Numbers 2.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Walter B. Scates, Assistant Adjutant-General Thirteenth Army Corps.

SMITH'S PLANTATION, April 16, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that early yesterday morning, about 4 o'clock, the pickets and Dunbar's plantation, 4 or 5 miles below here, on Bayou Vidal, were attacked by a superior force, and compelled to fall back upon the reserve, which promptly came to their support, and charged upon the enemy, holding him in check until re-enforced, when the enemy returned, wading through an overflowed field up to the thighs. The attack was made by a full regiment, the First Missouri rebel volunteers, Colonel [A. C.] Riley commanding.