and a half, the rebels retreated it being dark to Floyd, leaving only a small force near the bayou. General Reid then withdrew the skirmishers and ordered the Eight Louisiana in line of battle up to the bayou. They fired four volleys into the rebels, which forced them to retire.

The entire force of the enemy was commanded by Colonel Frank A. Bartlett, of the Thirteenth Louisiana Battalion, who has for some time past been stationed WEST of bayou Macon.

The only mischief done by the enemy far as heard from, is the destruction of a cotton-gin at Spencer's plantation.

We have 1 man wounded. The enemy's loss is 2 killed and 5 wounded.

I am, colonel very respectfully, yours &c.

ELIAS. S. DENNIS,

Brigadier-General.

Lieutenant Colonel John A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant General.

Number 2. Reports of Brigadier General Hugh T. Reid, u. S. Army, of action near Lake Providence and attack on Goderich's Landing. HEADQUARTERS POST OF PROVIDENCE, Providence, June 10, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that an attack was made yesterday afternoon by a rebel force, said to be strong 600, being the Thirteenth Texas Infantry and the Thirteenth Louisiana Battalion mounted men, With one piece of artillery. They were met by two companies of the First Kansas Mounted Infantry, at Bayou Baxter, 6 miles from town, and skirmishing kept, up till the rebel force reached bayou Tensas, a mile from town, where I determined to meet them With my whole force, about 80-0 strong, including some 300 of the Eight Louisiana Volunteers, of African descent, under Colonel Scofield. Our mounted companies feel back behind the bayou, destroying the bridge, when the rebels formed in line of battle and advanced their skirmishers boldly up to the bayou, and planted their gun a 6 -pounder so as to command the bridge which they attempted to reconstruct.

Our skirmishers from the First Kansas and sixteenth Wisconsin were advanced from our min body under cover of the bank, to within close musket range of their gun, and soon compelled them to withdraw it, after firing only 5 rounds, then I sent forward a heavy force of skirmishers to meet their whole line of the bayou, and, after a brisk fire for an hour and a half, the rebels retreated, it being dusk, on the road leading to Floyd, leaving only a small force of skirmishers, under cover of some underbrush, near the bayou.

I then withdrew our skirmishers and marched the Eight Louisiana Volunteers, of African descent, in line of battle up to the bayou. They fired four volleys into the rebels, which cleaned them out, and greatly encouraged the darkies. We had 1 man wounded, they had 2 men killed and 54 wounded. A rebel deserter says the rebels were under command of Colonel Barlett, of the Thirtieth Louisiana Battalion, which has been stationed WEST of bayou Macon.

The Texas regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Crawford and Major Beaty, and is a part of General Waler's DIVISION, which was 6,000 strong. This regiment left the

29 R R-VOL XXIV, pt. II