these guns, between Bunum's Mill and Callom's plantation until I could ascertain the facts inducing the retrograde movement of Major-General Taylor on the opposite side. Soon after I received a communication from him stating that he had been driven back from one point, repulsing the enemy at another, desiring to hear the sound of my guns, and ordering me to harass the enemy constantly at Pineville and in their works at the falls, the failure to do so being inexcusable, not to be overlooked by him, but would necessitate a change in the command.

The next day I received an order to move with all my command that was not absolutely required to observe the movements of the enemy at Pineville, so as to operate with Generals Polignas and Major on the river below Wilson's plantation, 35 miles below Alexandria by water. Non-compliance with the first order would necessitate my being relied from command, while the second was in directs conflict with the first, and obeying one would be to disobey the other. Such being the case, I deemed it my duty, as well from self-respect as a wish to see a more competent man substituted, to request to be relieved, satisfied that I could not reconcile the conflicting orders, accompanied particularly with a gratuitous threat. The headquarters of the major-general commanding was too far distant on the bayou Rapides to hear, as he so much desired, the sound of my musketry, and he well knew that I had no artillery. I, however, obeyed the last of the orders above named, and moved with my command to the point designated below Alexandria; a short distance above General Major's command, which was on the opposite side. The effective strength of the command before leaving he vicinity of Pineville was 570 men, one or two companies having just rejoined their commands (after having executed the orders to burn cotton) and swelling it to that number. On moving below it was necessary to leave two companies to protect the two 24-pounders (which, being drawn by oxen, were very slow in movements) and one company to observe the movements of the enemy at Pineville. This force being deducted from my previous effective strength left me a force of 450 men to operate with below. On the 10th, I received an order relieving me, in compliance with my request.

Pending these operations on Red River I sent a company under Captain Gillespie to occupy the country between Harrisonburg and the mouth of Black Rive, with a view to intercept any communications the enemy might attempt with Natchez. On its way, falling in with a company of jayhawkers, under the notorious Bob Taliaferro, it attacked them and killed 11. While my command was engaged on Red River the country on Bayou Macon became infested with bodies of men styling themselves guerrillas, who were engaged in plundering plantations of negroes, mules, and horses, and selling them at designated points. In consequence of my being relieved from command I was unable to redress this evil, an inability which I deeply regret.

In conclusion, I can justly state that on each occasion in which the enemy moved out from the river on the east side he was driven back; that all was done against gun-boats and transports that could be inflicted with small-arms alone, having no artillery except on the occasions named, as I have before said, with which to operate. The two 24-pounders arrived just before I was ordered away from the river, and the rapidity of my subsequent movements did not admit of their co-operation, as they were drawn by oxen. It could not be