to Indian Village. I saw no traces of guerrillas, but one of my ken learned from a citizens that five of them came through the swamp from the direction of the river that morning and crossed the Bayou about half way between The Park and Indian Village, swimming their horses. On the 18th my pickets at The Park stopped a small flat-boat which came down Grand River, and took from it Felix Bellocq, wife and child (he claiming to be a Confederate agent), Mrs. Monier, Mrs. Clement, and Mrs. P. Thrahan, owner of the boat, with three negro men. They had a large amount of baggage, and on the person of Felix Bellocq was found considerable mail matter, while on the person of Mrs. Monier were found a number of private papers, including several very important ones belonging to Mr. Bellocq. The same day my pickets at the mouth of Bayou Grossetete arrested a Mr. Isaac Irwin and Mr. P. O. Charleville, with two negro men, who came down Bayou Grossetete, and as I found on them some rather suspicious papers, I forwarded them, together with the first-names party, to headquarters post of Plaquamine. On the 19th I sent a lieutenant and seven men of the scouts down Grand River in a boat, with instructions to go as far as possible and return that night. After going about two miles below The Park, the boat leaking badly, they landed and proceeded on foot, going with the utmost difficulty about five miles below The Park, and beyond that they report the country impassable, being completely flooded, the levee on Grand River being broken in many places. I also sent a small party of the scouts up Bayou Grossetete some eight or ten miles, but with no results. On the 21st a deserter from King's heavy artillery came in and gave himself up to our pickets at The Park. He reports that all of the rebel companies that have been in the habit of making raids into La Fourche District have been ordered to Alexandria, and most of them have gone. He does not know of any guerrillas being this side of Grand River below Plaquemine at this time. I have had the company of scouts scouring the country in small squads in all directions around The Park and Indian Village, and from them have learned that the swamps in all directions are utterly impassable for any number of men. As I was suffering somewhat from an attack of fever and chills, I came into Plaquemine yesterday for medical treatment, which accounts for my being here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. C. BURT,

Major, Commanding Detachment Third Rhode Island Cavalry.

Lieutenant C. H. BARNEY,

Post Adjutant.

FEBRUARY 19-22, 1865. - Expedition from Helena, Ark., to Friar's Point, Miss.

Report of Colonel Charles Bentzoni, Fifty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops.

HDQRS. FIFTY SIXTH U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Helena, Ark., February 22, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with verbal instructions received from the brigadier-general commanding, 11 officers and 270 men of the Fifty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry, a detachment of mounted Infantry, under command of Captain Anderson, and one piece of artillery, under command of Lieutenant Chappel, embarked on