No. 4. Report of Major General E. O. C. Ord, U. S. Army, commanding Thirteenth Army Corps, of engagement at Bayou Bourbeau.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
New Orleans, La., January 18, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose sub- reports, just received, of the affair at Bayou Bourbeau, November 3, 1863.

Disparaging remarks having appeared in a large part of the public newspapers upon the management of this affair by Major- General Washburn, I beg to call attention to the report of that officer, to that of General Burbridge, Colonel Guppey, Twenty-third Wisconsin Volunteers, and the order of march of Major- General Franklin, by which it will be seen that General Washburn was at his prescribed post, with his command, on the morning of the attack, and that it was owing to his zeal and diligence that the rear guard, when attacked, were re-enforced promptly, and the enemy driven away discomfited. Lieutenant- Colonel Buehler, whom General Washburn reports guilty of conduct attributable to cowardice or incompetency as soon as he joins the corps. He is at present, I am unofficially informed, at a camp of paroled or exchanged prisoners somewhere in this department.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. O. C. ORD,

Major- General of Volunteers, Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant- General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 22.
Barricroquant Bayou, La., October 31, 1863.

I. The troops of this command will move to-morrow in the direction of Carrion Crow Bayou.

II. 1. General Washburn's command will start at 6 a. m.

2. General Grover's division will follow the trains of General Washburn's command.

3. Indiana artillery and Reserve artillery.

4. The Engineer Regiment and pontoon train.

5. Ammunition train.

6. General Grover's train.

7. General Weitzel's train.

8. General Weitzel's division.

9. Colonel Fonda's cavalry, who will bring up the rear and collect all stragglers.

III. General Burbridge will move toward Carrion Crow Bayou at 6 a. m., by the Teche road. Colonel Mudd will move in his rear.

IV. General Washburn will encamp on the north side of Carrion Crow Bayou; Generals Grover and Weitzel on the south side, on the right and left of the road, respectively, and General Burbridge and the cavalry will encamp at their old camp ground, on the bayou, 2 miles north of Carrion Crow Bayou. The Indiana siege and Reserve artillery, the ammunition train, the Engineer Regiment, and the pontoon train will encamp on the south side of Carrion Crow Bayou.

V. The camps will face toward Opelousas.