stantly express their gratitude and happy disappointment in their treatment.

I send Lieutenant Whittle, seventy SECOND Illinois, with the steamer Luminary, in charge of captured prisoners, arms, cattle,&c. I also send by him curious piece of cannon manufactured at this place in 1861, and found concealed near the city.

The original object of this expedition will be fully accomplished in two or three days more, and I will await further orders.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. E. G. RANSOM,

Brigadier-General Volunteers.

Lieutenant Colonel W. T. CLARK,

Assistant Adjutant-General, SEVENTEENTH Army Corps.

JULY 15, 1863. -Skirmish on Forked Deer Creek, Tenn.

Report of Colonel Fielding Hurst, First WEST Tennessee Cavalry.

LA GRANGE, TENN., July 20, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor of submitting the following report:

In compliance with your order bearing date Jackson, Tenn., July 15, 1863, I proceeded with the regiment to Montezuma; thence to Purdy and Camden, where I ascertained the bridge across Big Hatchie River, near Bolivar, was destroyed. On leaving Jackson I marched up the Forked Deer 8 miles, and found the trail of 1,500 to 1,800 rebels, under Biffe, Forrest, and Newsom. They fled before us in great, destroying all the bridges the crossed on, giving me such difficulty in crossing steams in 40 miles travel that I found myself 10 or 12 miles in their rear without any hope of overtaking them this side of our lines.

We took about 20 prisoners; paroled 8 and brought in 7. Some 5 or 6 fell back and made their escape, my rear guard being worn out with fatigue from hard marching and crossing steams by fording, swimming, &c.

I beg leave to state it as my belief that the entire rebel force which we met at Jackson fled by way of Shiloh in a badly torn up an demoralized condition, and could have been easily captured by a small force if thrown out from Corinth.

The prisoners all concur in stating that they were out of ammunition and low-spirited.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FIELDING HURST,

Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel EDWARD HATCH,

Commanding SECOND Cavalry Brigade.

JULY 16-20, 1863. -Scout from Germantown, Tenn.

Report of Colonel La Fayette McCrillis, THIRD Illinois Cavalry,

commanding First Brigade, Cavalry DIVISION.

GERMANTOWN, July 20, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I left Germantown on the morning of the 16th instant with 250 men and two howitzers of the NINTH