their peaceful pursuits, would be protected in person and property, and also warned them that, in case any of these bands were reorganized or new ones should spring up, I would hold those persons who had not taken the oath of allegiance, or who had not faithfully observed the same, responsible for any act or deeds perpetrated by such bands. To enforce the said circular, I left one company of 3 commissioned officers, 60 men, and 1 provost-marshal at Covington, with the instructions to remain at that post three days, and then to move to Somerville, remain there the same length of time, and then report to Bolivar. I also left a company of the same number, and provost-marshal, at Stanton Depot, to remain there the same length of time, then to proceed to Whiteville, remain there three days, and then report to Bolivar. I then returned with the balance of my command to Jackson, Tenn., April 16, 1863.

I state with pride that the officers and men of both detachments under my command conducted themselves in the most soldierlike manner, and are worthy of a better foe.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

M. K. LAWLER,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain E. D. MASON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 2.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Daniel H. Brush, Eighteenth Illinois Infantry.

HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS.

Jackson, Tenn., April 17, 1863.

SIR: I hereby respectfully report that I arrived in camp yesterday evening, with the remaining portion of this regiment out on the expedition to Covington, Tenn., and vicinity, with the exception of detachments under command of Captains Davis and Blackburn, 60 men each, which were left in that region, by direction of Colonel Lawler.

The casualties of the trip are the loss of Captain C. H. Reed, Company E, killed by guerrillas near Covington on the 5th instant, and Private Bradford Bardmess, Company A, and Corpl. George W. Green, Company F, taken prisoners near Dancyville, Tenn., on the 3rd instant.

The command has captured, while absent, about 80 head of horses and mules, not taking into account any surplus that may now be with the aforesaid detachments. Mules were taken from the regimental teams, when the command went out, to mount men who had no horses.

Those mules have been returned or replaced.

A considerable number of the horses taken from here by the men were weak and pretty much broken down, and soon gave out; such have been left on the way; some died. Men took in their places captured horses.

It cannot be ascertained with certainly until the absent detachments come back how many animals have been captured, or how many will be on hand after supplying the men who went out on the expedition with a horse each.

Of the captured horses, I was under the necessity of taking one, on account of the horse I was riding becoming unfit for use by having a sore back. Adjt. S. T. Brush, for some reason, took one of the cap-