At Decatur Wood's and Dumonteil's regiments, Adams' brigade, made a dash on a wagon train and succeeded in killing a number of men and mules, but were compelled to abandon the wagons captured, as enemy had force of infantry in front and rear of train. The command fought the enemy at Meridian, where the brigade of General Ross joined my command from the Yazoo country, which it had well protected, having fought three times their number and repulsed enemy on land, the men using their six-shooters, on foot, at the distance of 25 paces. At the same time the section of King's (Missouri) battery, commanded by Lieutenant Moore, drove back the gun-boats:

All praise is due the fighting Texans and King's battery and their gallant leader, General Ross, for their noble defense of the Yazoo country.

At Meridian Adams' brigade was assigned temporarily to Ferguson's division.

On the 16th, I moved with two brigades toward Columbus, Miss., to re-enforce General Forrest, and arrived at Starkville on the 23rd. The raiding party from the north, under General, Smith, retired the day before upon hearing of the approach of Major-General Lee's command.

On the 24th, in compliance with orders, I moved my division in pursuit of Sherman's army, on way to Canton. I detached Ross' brigade at Kosciusko to proceed to and protect the Mississippi Central Railroad and Yazoo country.

February 27, we reached Sharon, Miss., where Starke's brigade encountered the enemy and fought them in gallant style, capturing a number of horses, mules, and wagons. The enemy were scattered in parties of 30 and 40, foraging and pillaging through the country. I therefore adopted the plan of detaching regiments to operate against them. This succeeded admirably, Colonel Pinson, with his regiment (First Mississippi), being very successful-captured a number of enemy, killed and wounded many, and brought off nine wagons and teams.

The officers and men of Croft's and King's batteries deserve great praise for their promptness in the execution of orders and gallant behavior in presence of the enemy.

The enemy remained about Canton three days, my command skirmishing with the daily, killing and capturing many, striking principally at their foraging parties, my object being to confine the enemy as far as possible to their lines and prevent in a great measure their destruction of the country. In this I was successful.

On the 28th, having previously assumed command of Ferguson's division, consisting of his own brigade, commanded by Colonel Earle, and Adams' brigade, I made the following disposition of the command, viz: Adams' brigade on the left flank of enemy, Starke's on the right, and Ferguson's in rear. In this manner they pursued the enemy to within a short distance of Big Black, capturing 15 wagons and teams and 150 prisoners; killed and wounded numbers; also captured 50 cavalry, horses and equipments, notwithstanding the enemy was aware of our presence and moved in fine order with no straggling. The effect was to confine them closely to the road on which they were moving.

I beg leave to call the attention of Major-General Lee to the part performed by Lieutenant Harvey and his gallant band of 40 scouts. He was everywhere doing good service; killed and captured of the enemy four times his own number. His daring, coolness, and judg-