did not deem it prudent to remain, and, consulting the commanders of regiments with me, determined to withdraw to Marksville and await further orders.

Learning that I could reach the river without being observed below Fort De Russy, I intended making an attack on the enemy there, but having received orders to return to this point I did so. Lieutenant-Colonel Mullen having arrived with Baylor's regiment, I placed that regiment and Chisum's in the original position at Smith's place. Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton, of Hardeman's regiment, was also placed in support of a section of West's battery, under Lieutenant J. Yoist. Lieutenant W. H. Lyne, commanding the other section, was with me at the Compton place.

May 3, the City Belle was captured with a portion of the One hundred and twentieth Ohio Regiment on board. Colonel Hardeman was present with a portion of his brigade. They did all the firing with small-arms. I cannot speak too highly of the splendid practice of West's battery, under Lieutenant Yoist. The second shot from the Parrott rifle entered the boiler, when the enemy began jumping overboard. Colonel Mudd, commanding regiment, and chief of General McClernand's cavalry corps, was mortally wounded. A colonel of a negro regiment was shot through the bowels, and a lieutenant-colonel mortally wounded, and a number of the enemy killed, wounded, and captured.

On May 4, Colonel Hardeman's brigade was placed to support Lieutenant Yoist's section, Chisum's regiment remaining also; Bayor's regiment was ordered down to support Lieutenant W. H. Lyne's section.

On May 5, the enemy were reported coming down with two gunboats and a transport. Colonel Hardeman being absent sick the brigadier-general commanding left me in command of the forces on the river. The enemy passed the upper section after being roughly handled by the artillery and small-arms. The transport came ahead and received the first shot from Lieutenant Lyne's section, which disabled her. The gun-boats then opened fire, and being armed with two 30-pounder Parrott guns, two 12-pounder rifled Dahlgrens, and four 24-pounder howitzer on one (the Signal, Numbers 8), and the armament of the other being nearly the same, some idea may be gathered of the hot fire our one Parrott gun had to undergo and of the accuracy of her gunner, Sergeant-, who brought them both to a standstill. Getting behind a bend they began a furious cannonade on our guns. I ordered Colonel Madison, who was on the extreme left, to move up opposite the gun-boats and open fire with his Enfields. The order was promptly and gallantly obeyed, thus drawing a portion of the fire. I sent an order to Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton that if his left was secure and no other gun-boats in sight to send down Lieutenant Yoist with the Parrott gun and open above us on the enemy, who had taken shelter from the gun below. Lieutenant W. H. Lyne asked permission to move his piece up and open on the transport that was sheltered by a bend on the left bank of the river. She surrendered after a few shots.

The enemy finding that they were assailed from above and below anchored the Signal, Numbers 8, so as to present here broadside to the section below, and the Covington moved up [and] engaged Lieutenant Yoist, who was keeping up a steady, unerring fire. A courier from the picket below brought word of the approach of another gun-boat, and the booming of her guns announced her near approach.