tured horses. Both of said horses were reported to General Brayman, at Bolivar, when we found we were to go back toward the Mississippi River from that place, were appraised, purchased by us, and paid for, and bills of sale given us.

I respectfully suggest that all the horses and mules now in the regiment belonging to the Government, either in use by the line officers, enlisted men, or teamsters, be at once branded, and those in use by the officers and men be appraised, as also the equipments, and ordered to be charged to the said officers and men, so that they may be respectively held accountable to the Government for the value of the same. Such a course is necessary to prevent the men from trading off and exchanging horses and fixtures, and to take them take care of such as are turned over to them. A board of appraisers, in my opinion, should be at once appointed, that the matter may be speedily attended to.

The prisoners taken during the expedition were turned over to the provost-marshal at Bolivar, by order of Colonel Lawler.

Respectfully submitted.

D. H. BRUSH,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant J. C. WEBBER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

APRIL 2-6, 1863. - Scout in Beaver Creek Swamp, Tenn.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas P. Herrick, Seventh Kansas Cavalry.

GERMANTOWN, TENN., April 6, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with the order of General Hurlbut, I left camp at daylight on the morning of the 2nd instant, with the effective force of the Seventh Kansas Cavalry, to move against Richardson's force, then supposed to be in the swamps of Beaver Creek. On arriving at Hickory Wythe, I learned that the SECOND Iowa Cavalry had passed through that place an hour before, on their way down from a scout through the country I was ordered to visit. After crossing Loosahatchee, I learned that immediately after the surprise and slaughter of our men near Belmont, on Sunday night, March 29, Richardson had disbanded his men, fearing so large a Federal force would be sent into the country that his command would be destroyed if he attempted to keep it together. I therefore saw that it would be impossible for me to accomplish what was evidently expected from the expedition, for where men are scattered through the swamps it is only by chance that they can be caught. However, I spent two days in the swamps on Beaver, thoroughly scouring the whole country, from the head of East Beaver, 5 miles above Mason's Station, around to Portersville, on the WEST. Probably one-THIRD of Richardson's active force was scattered through this stretch of country, but our movements were so vigilantly watched and so faithfully reported by the " peaceable citizens", that the entire population anticipated our approach.

Knowing that I would meet no hostile force, I deployed the men by squadrons, and made a hunt instead of a march, sending them in lines of skirmishers through swamps and fields over the whole country. I had some hope that by this means I might find Richardson himself, who has been wounded, and is said to be concealed somewhere in that coun-