Numbers 2. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John M. Crebs, Eighty-seventh Illinois Infantry. HDQRS, EIGHTY-SEVENTH Regiment ILLINOIS VET. VOL. INFTY., Helena, Ark., February 14, 1865.

GENERAL: In obedience to your orders to me, dated February 7, I started at 8 a. m. on the 8th instant, with 175 men, on a scout to the interior. My route led me through La Grande, Moro, Cotton Plant, and above that through the lower part of what is called the "Colony," terminating in that direction at Alexander Miller's, nearly east, and distant about ten miles from Augusta. From this point I re-crossed Bayou De View, taking a general course east or southeast to Madison, on the Saint Francis River, where I found transports awaiting, we embarking upon which I returned to camp, reaching here at 2 o'clock last night. Distance traveled, including scouts from the line of march, about 300 miles. We found the roads next to impassable from mud and water. The streams on the line of march were numerous and from recent rains greatly swollen, rendering the crossings difficult and dangerous; four of which, namely, Caney Creek, Bayous De View, second Creek, and L'Anguille River, I had to swim, and one, the "Bayou," twice. In addition to place above named, often for miles together we found water in the swamps from knee-deep to the skirts of the saddles, and, the weather being cold, the men, from being continually wet, suffered greatly. we found the country generally infested with rowing soldiers from the commands of Dobbin, Lyles, McGhee, Raibon, and perhaps others. Jackman, with a small body of Missourians, had also been through there a short time since, but their present whereabouts I could not learn. I feel warranted in saying that there are as many as 1,500 or 2,000 men on the east and west side of the Saint Francis, south or southeast of a line running from Memphis to Augusta, on the White River, but entirely disorganized, scattered through the country, and living off the citizens. They have couriers and signals, by means of which the approach of an enemy is rapidly telegraphed, and if the force is small they will collect and resist; if large, they hide at once in swamps and thickets impenetrable except to those thoroughly acquainted with the country. At a place ten miles from Cotton Plant and eight miles from Alexander Miller's, at Vaughan's, we found the headquarters of dobbin; captured a number of papers, none however of value; found his headquarters transportation, which I destroyed, and between 2,000 and 3,000 bushels of corn, which I burned, and also a small amount of meat, which I appropriated for the use of the command, being at the time without rations, expect bread. Approaching Madison, we had a severe skirmish with the enemy, in which we killed 2 and captured 1, dispersing the balance in all directions. Had the misfortune to lose one man captured in the melee. His horse being shot, he was hurried off in the thicket and could not be found. From information received from citizens and soldiers captured I feel authorized to say that the chief object of Lyles and Dobbin, who are personally at this time between Madison and Memphis, is to collect the rebel tax on cotton passing to Memphis, on obtaining which it is forwarded to the city at once as cotton belonging to citizens, and from the prales supplies for the army - such as arms, ammunition, and clothing - are clandestinely brought through the lines for the use of the command, it being the intention in this way to procure an outfit for the command for the spring cam-