by the enemy under General Shelby, numbering about 1,500, with three pieces of artillery. General Rice ordered the Fiftieth Indiana from the front to the rear, to re-enforce the rear guard. After a sharp engagement the enemy was repulsed, and General Rice moved on his command toward Okolona. About half a mile this side of the junction of the Washington and Camden roads the enemy having been re-enforced, made another attack and were again driven back after hard fighting. General Rice's command reached Okolona at 10 p. m. During this engagement it became necessary for General Rice to withdraw from the front all his forces except the Thirty-third Iowa, which was disposed at intervals along the train. I therefore ordered the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin, of Colonel Engelmann's brigade, to cover and protect the train, which arrived in camp without the loss of a wagon. On the arrival of the Third Brigade at Okolona one regiment had been sent to support the cavalry forces, which were retreating from the Washington road. The remaining forces of Colonel Engelmann's brigade I disposed to protect the trains as they came in. The battery (Captain Vaughn's) was fired on by a party of the enemy who approached on the Arkadelphia road. Our loss this day was as follows: Killed, 8; wounded, 32; wounded and missing, 5; missing, 18; total, 63. Four of the missing have since returned to their respective regiments, reducing the number of casualties to 59. The loss of the enemy cannot be accurately stated, but from information deemed reliable, I have good reason to believe that his loss is greatly in excess of our own. On the evening of the 2nd, Colonel William E. McLean's brigade, excepting the Seventy-seventh Ohio and two pieces of Stange's battery, was sent forward to cross the Little Missouri River at Elkin's Ford, 4 miles beyond Okolona, with a view of holding the ford. This duty was promptly preformed, and Colonel McLean took possession of the position at 9 p. m. without opposition.

On the morning of the 3rd, Colonel Engelmann's brigade, re-enforced by the Seventy-seventh Ohio Infantry, of Colonel McLean's brigade, and consisting in all of four regiments of infantry and Vaughn's battery of six guns, was left at Okolona with orders to proceed with Colonel Ritter's cavalry brigade as far back as Hollywood, and endeavor to communicate with General Thayer. The First Brigade moved on the Elkin's Ford and encamped on the left bank of the Little Missouri. Colonel Engelmann's command was attacked by the enemy at Okolona before the arrival of the cavalry forces under Colonel Ritter. The enemy was driven back and pursued by the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry, Colonel Krez commanding, for 2 miles. Our losses were as follows: Killed, 3; wounded, 7; total, 10.

On the arrival of Colonel Ritter's cavalry command at Okolona, Colonel Engelmann marched toward Hollywood, which place he reached ont the 4th. He returned with his command and rejoined the division in camp near Elkin's Ford on the evening of the 5th, reporting that he had not heard from General Thayer. On the 3rd instant the enemy made some demonstrations in front of Colonel McLean's position. Three companies of the Forty-third Indiana were sent forward as skirmishers, and soon ascertained the enemy's position. Sixteen enlisted men of the enemy being cut off came into our lines and surrendered. Early on the morning of the 4th, the enemy attacked Colonel McLean's command, consisting of the