The effective strength of the NINTH DIVISION, then stationed at Big Black River railroad bridge, was as follows:

First Brigade.

Colonel JAMES KEIGWIN.

49th Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

69th Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

7th Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

120th Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386

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1,108

SECOND Brigade.

Colonel DANIEL W. LINDSEY.

54th Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

22nd Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

16th Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359

42nd Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434

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1,,304

Cavalry Brigade.

Major HUGH FULLERTON.

2nd Illinois, 2nd Battalion (three companies).

3rd Illinois, 3rd Battalion (three companies).

4th Indiana (one company).

6th Missouri, 1st Battalion (seven companies).

Besides the Brigade of Cavalry, there were about 100 men of the one hundred and eighteenth Illinois Infantry(mounted), which acted with the Cavalry.

Artillery, captain C. H. Lanphere commanding: First Wisconsin Battery, six guns, 20-pounder Parrots, lieutenant Nutting commanding; Seventh Michigan Battery, six guns, 10-pounder Rodman, lieutenant Stillman commanding.

The necessary preparations being completed, I crossed Biog Black River Bridge at 2 o'clock, the advance DIVISION of the Thirteenth Army Corps. The enemy's at 2 o'clock pickets were found 1 mile beyond my line of out-posts and vedettes, and slowly fell back before my advancing Cavalry. At the bend of the Big Black River, were it changes its direction from a north-south to an east-west

course, I encamped my infantry and artillery, while the cavalry advanced to Edwards Station, with strong parties thrown forward on the different roads converging at that place. Rebel cavalry were left all around, but offering very little resistance, and yielding a few shots.

On July 7, I left camp, in conformity with your order, at 6 a. m., advancing on the main Vicksburg, Clinton, and Jackson road, which runs almost parallel to the railroad. Strong cavalry patrols were sent out on my right flank as far as Fourteen-Mile Creek, and on my left to confect with the column under General Steele, which was moving on the Bridgeport and Jackson road. The former party, under Lieutenant Zimmerman, fell in with a squad of rebel pioneers belonging to General Breckinridge's corps; they were taken prisoners. About 2 miles west of Bolton my cavalry eclaireurs found a rebel picket, which fired upon them. The rebels were strong enough to make a short stand, but my support came up promptly and drove them, taking several prisoners. I anticipated a more determined stand of the enemy at the point were the elected that point from former observation(May 15)as offering a splendid position from defense. The junction of the road is formed on the brow of a ridge, sloping very abruptly toward the north and east the more gradually toward the west. The corn-fields on the western slope offered fine protection to sharpshooters. I made arrangements to meet the enemy there, massed my Cavalry, and brought the mountain howitzers of the Sixth MISSOURI cavalry forward.