residents of the country, all coincide that General Kirby Smith in person, with re-enforcements of infantry, had joined Price. Our position was b y no means a safe one. With an army superior in numbers in our front, and a mounted force of not less than 6,000 to act upon our line of communications, and with the meager supply of rations on hand, it was evident that a crisis was at hand. General Steele immediately gave orders to evacuate the town, to move over the river such wagons and artillery during the day that would not attract the attention of the residents of the place. At nightfall pickets were doubled, vigilance exercised, tattoo beaten and sounded at the usual time and in the same places, and the whole army commenced to move across the river. At daylight the whole army was safe and the bridge taken up and all on the road to Princeton. This was the 27th. The army encamped at Princeton on the 28th. The 29th saw us at Jenkins' Ferry on the Saline River, where the direct road leads to Little Rock, and also a fair road to Pine Bluff. The river was too deed to ford and the pontoon train was hurried up, thrown across under my direction and personal supervision, and ready for troops to pass at 4.15 p. m. All the cavalry and many wagons were passed over before dark. There was slight skirmishing in the rear in the afternoon. Rain commenced to fall about 12 m., and poured incessantly all day and night. I never saw it rain harder than it did during the night. The bottom, which extends at least 2 miles on each side, possesses all the characteristics of the Little Missouri, being, if anything, much works. It soon became a sea of mud, in which wagons settled to the axles and mules floundered about without a resting place for their feet. Fires were made along the road, pioneers and working details set to work, and every exertion made to push the impedimenta across before daylight, it being evident that the enemy were in force in our rear. But we failed. The rain came down in torrents, putting out many of the fires, the men became exhausted, and both they and the animals sank down in the mud and mire, wherever they were, to seek a few hours' repose. At daylight we resumed our labors, and by 11 a. m. everything was across the river except the infantry and one section of artillery. During this time a severe engagement was going on and lasted until 12.30 p. m., at which hour, the enemy having been badly beaten, our troops were withdrawn to the east side of the river. The last of the infantry had crossed before 2.05 p. m. Our troops, with artillery, were drawn up on the bank protecting the bridge until it was decided to take it up. The bridge was kept intact for three-quarters of an hour longer to allow such stragglers or wounded who may have loitered behind to pass over. One of the hospital attendants from the hospital on the battle-field having arrived with a message from the surgeon in charge to his brigade commander, having stated that there were no men on the road, I, acting under the order of Major-General Steele, gave the command for destroying the bridge. The reason for this order was our inability to carry it with us. It had in the natural course of the train become the rear. The mules could scarcely pull the wagons, much less when loaded, and over such a road it was impossible to get it along. The pontoons were very much the worse for wear, and several were worn out, so as no longer to be reliable. It was destroyed by cutting each compartment with an ax and piercing them with the bayonet. Many of the cheeses were split witch axes and then thrown in the stream, and some of the balks were thrown in after cutting them in two parts. The bridge was