Parrotts on the left, commanding the position of the enemy. The cannonading on our side continuing for at least an hour, and having effected all that could be effected, a bridge in the mean time being constructed at the town of Port Gibson, the batteries and skirmishers were withdrawn, and the whole force put in march for the bridge; crossing which, we have continued the pursuit of the retreating enemy to this point without again encountering them. At the skirmish at the bridge, I regret to say Lieutenant-Colonel Oliver received a painful wound in the foot, causing him to leave the field. The enemy, I have wound in the foot, causing him to leave the field. The enemy, I have every reason to believe, received considerable damage, the extent of which could not be ascertained, as under cover of night the whole force retired.

All of which I respectfully submit.

JOHN D. STEVENSON,

Brigadier General, Comdg. THIRD Brigadier, THIRD Div., SEVENTEENTH A. C.

Major R. R. TOWNES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Number 26. Report of Colonel James J. Dollins, Eighty-first Illinois Infantry. NEAR BLACK RIVER, Mississippi, May 4, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report to you the part taken by my regiment - Eighty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry - in the engagement with the enemy near Port Gibson.

On the 1st instant, we were ordered to march at 8 a. m. from the river on the Port Gibson road, and arrived at the battle-ground, some 20 miles distant, by 1 p. m., where, in compliance with our orders, I caused my regiment to unsling knapsacks, and moved up and took my position in the line of battle assigned me Brigadier General John D. Stevenson, my left connected with the Thirty-SECOND Ohio Infantry, of General Stevenson's brigade, and the right with the left of General Burbridge's brigade. Agreeably to orders, I threw forward my skirmishers and advanced in line of battle.

My skirmishing companies (Company B, commanded by Captain Thomas Hightower, and Company D, commanded by SECOND Lieutenant Henry Miars) had advanced but a short distance before engaging the advance of the enemy in spirited skirmishing. I advanced my line steadily across a ravine to my front and up a steep hillside, through an almost impenetrable canebrake. On reaching the summit of the hill, the enemy poured a severe volley of musketry into our ranks, which was returned in a spirited manner, and resulted in driving the enemy from the hill, with the loss of 2 men on our side, either killed or taken prisoners, and 1 severely wounded. The loss on the rebel side could not be definitely ascertained, but was, doubtless, much greater than was sustained by my regiment. In the mean time brisk skirmishing was kept up by flank companies directly in front of our line, resulting in every instance in driving the enemy.

I advanced mu line forward into an open field to the front, and within 300 yards of the enemy's line of both infantry and artillery, and ordered my men to lie down directly under the brow of a hill and in full view of the enemy's field artillery; their gunners were picked off around their