tion of the enemy. The division of the Seventeenth Army Corps was ordered under arms to be in readiness to support him if necessary. About 3 miles from the landing, in the fork of the Yellow Bayou and Bayou De Glaize, General Mower came upon a brigade of the enemy, under command of General William R. Scurry, occupying a fort, then in process of construction, but who abandoned their work and fled at his approach. He pursued them about 2 miles, capturing 6 of their wagons and about 20 prisoners, when, having gained the necessary information and having no cavalry with which to make an effectual pursuit. I ordered him to return with his command to the landing. I immediately disembarked my land transportation, and, directing the transports to join the Mississippi Squadron under command of Admiral Porter and proceed with it to Fort De Russy, moved forward my whole command on the road to Fort De Russy. Leaving the landing at about 9 p. m., we bivouacked for the night 4 miles from Simsport. At 3 o'clock on the morning of the 14th, I again moved forward toward Fort De Russy. Two bridges which we had to cross wee set on fire by the retreating brigade of the enemy, but were extinguished by our advance before they were seriously damaged. On reaching Mansura I learned that the bridges across the Bayou De Glaize had been destroyed, and that the rebel General Walker, commanding a division, had marched out from Fort De Russy with his command to the point where he supposed we would cross the bayou, about 5 miles west from Mansura, had formed a junction with Scurry's brigade, and intended to oppose our crossing. I immediately ordered the bayou to be bridged at Mansura, taking the material from an old cotton-gin, and by crossing companies at the same time on a ferry-boat had my whole command across before General Walker was aware that the advance had halted. Directing Thomas Kilby Smith, who was at the rear of my column, to keep well closed up and watch carefully the left flank and rear, I at once moved forward toward Fort De Russy, leaving General Walker and his command on the left.

On arriving near the fort I found that it was occupied by a garrison of about 350 men. I therefore halted my column 1 1/2 miles from the fort, and, after covering my left flank and rear from any attack that Walker could possibly make, directed General Mower to advance with the First and Second Brigades of the Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, in line of battle, with skirmishers thrown well to the front, followed by the Third Brigade within supporting distance. As soon as the line came within sight of the fort the enemy opened upon it with five pieces of artillery from the fort, doing, however, but little execution. Their guns on the land side all being en barbette, the skirmishers of the Second Brigade soon silenced them. At about 6.30 p. m. the order to charge was given, and the First and Second Brigades advanced under a scattering fire from the enemy, whose infantry were kept down by my skirmishers, and scaled the parapet within twenty minutes from the time the order to charge was given. The enemy then surrendered. Our loss was 3 killed and 35 wounded; total, 38. Full lists of casualties and captures accompany this report. We captured 319 prisoners, 10 pieces of artillery, and a large quantity of ordnance and ordnance stores, marching during the day 26 miles, bridging a bayou, and capturing the fort before sunset. Among the pieces of artillery taken were two 9-inch Dahlgren guns, which were captured by the enemy, one from the steamer Indianola and one from the Harriet

20 R R-VOL XXXIV, PT I