guard, when a sharp fight occurred between the
cavalry, resulting, I think, in very little injury to either party. The
enemy fell back a mile or more, when he opened on us with artillery, and
a sharp artillery fight took place, which lasted for perhaps thirty
minutes. Several men on both sides were killed and wounded. The enemy
finally retired, and taking a second position awaited our arrival, and
opened on us again. I pushed forward in the thick woods, and drove him
from point to point for seven miles. Negley followed with the other
brigades of the division, ready to support me in case the enemy proved
too strong, but I did not need assistance. The force opposed to us
simply desired to retard pursuit; and whenever we pushed against it
vigorously fell back.

2. This morning we discover that we bivouacked during the night within
half a mile of a large force of rebel cavalry and infantry. After
proceeding a little way, we found the enemy in position on the bluffs on
the opposite side of Elk river, with his artillery planted so as to
sweep the road leading to the bridge. Halting my infantry and cavalry
under the cover of the hill, I sent to the rear for an additional
battery, and, before the enemy seemed to be aware of what we were doing,
I got ten guns in position on the crest of the hill and commenced
firing. The enemy's cavalry and infantry, which up to this time had
lined the opposite hills, began to scatter in great confusion; but we
did not have it all our own way by any means. The rebels replied with
shot and shell very vigorously, and for half an hour the fight was very
interesting; at the end of that time, however, their batteries limbered
up and left on the double quick. In the meantime, I had sent a
detachment of infantry to occupy a stockade which the enemy had
constructed near the bridge, and from this position good work was done
by driving off his sharpshooters. We found the bridge partially burned,
and the river too much swollen for either the men or trains to ford it.
Rousseau and Brannan, I understand, succeeded in crossing at an upper
ford, and are in hot pursuit.

3. Repaired the bridge, and crossed the river this morning; and are now
bivouacking on the ground over which the cavalry fought yesterday
afternoon--quite a number of the dead were discovered in the woods and
fields. We picked up, at Elk river, an order of Brigadier-General
Wharton, commanding the troops which have been serving as the rear
g