and position of the enemy. Having waited some little time, and hearing nothing from my scouting parties, I ordered forward three regiments of infantry to take the main road on the east side of the river and move directly upon the enemy's works. After advancing perhaps half a mile, they discovered the bridge crossing a heavy bayou destroyed, so as to be unsafe for use, and the stream not fordable. Some little time was consumed in repairing this to enable us to cross when, on pushing rapidly forward, we discovered the works deserted and the enemy fled . I immediately sent the Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, Colonel Bertram commanding, in pursuit. He followed them some 10 miles, taking quite a number of prisoners and some arms, compelling them to leave by the

roadside a few wagons and one gun-carriage, partially disables. I then ordered the fleet to proceed up the river to the city, and with Major Clark, of my staff, went on board the gunboat De Kalb, in advance of them. The De Kalb had moved up to a point nearly opposite the city, when she was blown up by a torpedo (a number of which had been placed in the river by Captain Brown, of the Confederate Navy), which tore away some 2 feet of her port bow, and sinking her in less than a quarter of an hour in 15 feet of water. Fortunately no one was hurt; and to the coolness and efficiency of Captain Walker and his subordinate officers may be attributed the fact that none were drowned, as she became unmanageable almost immediately after being struck and sang very rapidly. Captain Walker afterward raised and brought away all her guns and a large portion of her small-arms, &c.

My troops having entered the city, I placed General Orme in command of the town, with his there regiments of infantry, to protect the place and private property and collect in all captured stores. the city had been garrisoned by the Twenty-NINTH North Carolina Infantry, with one battery of light artillery, and commanded by Colonel Creasman. The enemy having obtained information of our coming, sent their steamers up the river, but my cavalry pursued them so closely they were compelled to burn five of them, the Magenta, Prince of Wales, Magnolia, Petunia, and J. F. Fargo. The W. J. Gay, Hennet, Arcadia, and Mary Keane escaped. The cavalry captured the steamer Saint Mary, a small side-wheel boat that had formerly been used as a lightdraught gunboat, from which they had but a short time previously removed the guns to place in the works at Yazoo City. I found mounted in the works one 8-inch columbiad, four 30-pounder Parrotts, one 12-pounder howitzer; total, six guns, with about 200 rounds of ammunition for guns and captured about 300 prisoners, with 8 commissioned officers.

On the morning of the 16th instant, I received orders from you to proceed across the country toward Big Black River, for the purpose of protecting the flanks and rear of our forces, then investing Jackson. Owing to the fact that I had taken no transportation of any kind with me, I was compelled to press into the service teams and wagons to haul cooling utensils and rations for my men. At 12 o'clock noon of the some day, I left Yazoo City, with seven regiments of infantry and a battery, and proceeded to Benton; from thence I moved to and crossed the Big Black River at Moore's Ferry, pushing a portion of my forces into Canton, arriving at 3 o'clock on the 17th, after a very fatiguing march, owing to the dust, excessive heat, and scarcity of water, Having sent out my mounted force to scout the country, I halted for the night.

On the morning of the 18th, I received a dispatch from Colonel Bussey announcing the result of operations at Jackson, and that he was occupying Canton, and on the same evening started on my return to