hear of any others being kept. But there are parties living on the opposite side of the river from Bayou Goula and Colonel Butler's place who are in the habit of crossing to this side and back with passengers, and stealing everything that comes in their way, particularly horses, which they made swim the river, leading them from a skiff. Colonel Butler informed me that these parties had stolen the last horses he had to ride. What I learned to-day of these plunderings only confirms numerous reports which I have heard many times before from that locality. Having carried out my instructions, I returned, passing through Butler's cut-off, and reaching this post about 8. 30 this p. m. While in Bayou Goula I learned that six of Brown's party were in the village about noon, remaining but a few moments. This Captain Brown is the only known guerrilla chief that has infested the vicinity of Bayou Goula for a long time, and his force varied from five to ten men, the last being the largest number I have heard of his having for a long time.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. C. BURT,

Major, Third Rhode Island Cavalry, Commanding.

Lieutenant J. C. WHITING, Jr.,

Adjutant, Post of Plaquemine.

HDQRS. DETACHMENT THIRD RHODE ISLAND CAVALRY,
Plaquemine, May 10, 1865.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that on the 9th instant at 1 p. m. I left Plaquemine with seventeen men on a scout through bayou Goula to Donaldsonville. Reached Bayou Goula about 3 p m., and hearing that some of Brown's men were on the road below, I proceeded more leisurely, partly to rest my horses for a dash and partly through fear that the party, if small, might be passed without being seen, as small parties will sometimes keep out of sight unless looked after very sharply. About half a mile or move above the house of Dr. J. P. R. Stone two or three of Brown's men were seen in the road and my advance dashed after them, and in a few seconds I heard rapid firing. Dashing round a sharp bend in the levee, I came in full view of the action and found some ten or a dozen of the guerrillas in the yard of Mr. W. H. Gilbert, some of whom were firing at my advance, two or three of them were halted and fighting at the gateway, while two of them were dashing down the road in pursuit of one of the rebels, who had been unable to join his party in the yard. As I stated before, when I came in sight a few of Brown's men were making a sharp, almost hand-to-hand fight with my advance, while the rest of them were making good time toward a gate at the back of the yard (which, by the way, is a pretty good-sized field, the house setting back some distance from the road). I was seen about as soon as I saw them, and instantly the whole party made themselves scarce, closely followed by my advance, but as they passed out of the yard into a lane the rear guard turned and checked my men, the advance momentarily giving the rest of their party some little start; then taking to their heels they succeeded in getting through a gate about 100 yards down the lane, which swung to and fastened, and as the time required to open this gate had given them quite a start, I did not allow my men to follow them (simply firing after them), as all previous experience has taught me the folly of attempting to run them down when they have 100 or 200 yards the start on a straight

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