HEADQUARTERS BRACKETT'S MINNESOTA BATTALION, CAMP No. 36, NORTH-WEST INDIAN EXPEDITION, August 1, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part I took with my command in the action with hostile Indians on July twenty-eighth, 1864:

I was first ordered to move in column on the right, which I did. Subsequently I received orders to support the line of skirmishers in advance, which I did by bringing companies B and C in line, with companies A and D as support. I moved in that order some three miles when, finding the enemy massing in considerable force and attacking my right, I engaged them with company B dismounted, at the same time asking and receiving permission of you to charge them with sabre. I immediately gave the order to Captain E. Y. Shelley, of company C, to charge them with his company, which order he executed and followed up in a manner highly creditable to himself and those under him. The charge resulted in the killing of thirteen Indians found on the field, and entirely routing the balance. Finding the enemy forming in large numbers on my left and front I rallied my whole command and found it necessary to dismount them; as I was being severely annoyed from ravines and thickets impracticable for horse. After severe skirmishing, drove the enemy to the base of a high hill, where I met with a strong opposition, they being in strong force on its summit. I finally succeeded in taking possession of the hill, which I held, driving the enemy far beyond. The nature of the ground in front rendering it impracticable to pursue further at the time, I rejoined your command with my battalion.

In the charge Sergeant George W. Northrup, of company C, fell, after receiving eight or ten wounds, one of which pierced him through the heart. Horatio Austin, of Company D, was also killed while skirmishing. My loss during the day was two killed and eight wounded. I also lost twenty-two horses, punishing the enemy by killing twenty-seven found dead on the field afterward, besides quite a number that were seen to have been carried off by them.

I take pleasure, General, in saying that my officers and men displayed an amount of courage, coolness, and skill worthy of veterans that they

and feeling that the facts have not yet been placed before the public as they occurred, and as justice to the officers and men demand, I ask a place in your columns for the publication of as accurate a report as, I think, can be made, having been an eye-witness, and, I assure you, an impartial one, to the incidents and results of this expedition. For the correctness and accuracy of my statements, my only reference will be the brave officers and men who composed the force, the two leading objects of my communication being to adhere strictly to the truth and to award to each gallant soldier his share of honor in this movement, which, if it was not a victory, was no less a test of their courage, endurance and forbearance, under the most trying circumstances, the responsibility of which rests not with them. I will not enter into the details of the expedition before reaching Prestonburg, as the march was without incidents worthy of recital. I will only mention, in the opening of my account, the fact which was, of itself, a most shameful error, six hundred of the horses which were to be used in this move, belonging to the First division, having been inspected by the Division and Brigade Inspectors, were condemned as unfit for service for a single day. A large number besides these were reported by the inspectors as probably fit for a march of three days. Upon these animals, broken down by thirty days' service with General Hobson in driving Adam Johnson from Western Kentucky, the men were started; the result was that many of the soldiers were dismounted after a few miles' travel, and walked the remainder of the trip to the salt-works and back.

The expedition left Prestonburg on Sunday, the twenty-sixth day of September, under the immediate command of General McLean, the whole under the command of Brevet MajorGeneral Burbridge. The brigade marched in the rear from Prestonburg to Ivy Mountain, crossing this dangerous pass in the night, the road being so rough and narrow that the bat tery under command of Lieutenant Wallace had to be taken to pieces to effect the crossing, which would only admit one animal or man at a time. The column was occasionally bushwhacked up to the Virginia line, when we struck the Virginia State Road, one of the finest mountain roads in the United States, notwithstanding one correspondent has represented it as almost impassable. No skirmishing occurred until we were near the rebel General Berran's house, in the Richland Valley, where the Fourth brigade was engaged in two slight skirmishes for a short time, in which they drove the enemy before them. The troops encamped at General Berran's on the night of the thirtieth of September. The following morning, October first, the march was resumed, the First brigade in advance. Four miles from this point we reached the foot of Clinch Mountain, the Thirtieth Kentucky, Colonel Alexander, with two companies of the Fortieth Kentucky, under Colonel Litteral, being

the advance guard. By felling trees the rebels ketry, thereby rendering useless all their efforts had completely blockaded the road over the to accomplish the end intended. The position mountain. This was naturally a very strong that Hanson was expected to carry was a heavy position. Several hundred rebels, under the fort, protected on its left by an extensive riflecommand of Giltner, having taken possession pit, situated on the top of a cliff not less than of, and secreted themselves on the side of the one hundred and fifty feet high, in order to mountain, poured a galling fire into the head of reach which he would have been compelled to the column. The Thirtieth, Forty-fifth and For- ford a river from ten to fifteen feet deep, and tieth Kentucky were by General Hobson dis- ascend the cliff, which was almost perpendicular. mounted immediately, and ordered to drive the The gallant Hanson could not execute impossirebels from their position. The Fortieth Ken- bilities, and has probably lost his life in attempttucky was sent to the left to co-operate withing to lead his men where it would have been the Forty-fifth and Thirtieth Kentucky, who certain destruction to them. were on the right. After stubborn fighting the Colonel Hanson was supported by Colonel rebels yielded their position, with the loss of True, with the Fortieth Kentucky mounted inseveral killed and wounded. Two Federals fantry, and Forty-fifth Kentucky mounted inwere killed, and about ten or twelve wounded, fantry, until Hanson fell, when True was ordered among whom was Captain Adams, Forty-fifth to take command of Hanson's brigade, and held Kentucky. All the officers and troops behaved the position until the troops were ordered to with great gallantry. The column proceeded to withdraw. I may here mention that at one time Laurel Gap, where they again encountered the Colonel Ratcliffe's brigade (Fourth) drove the rebels. This also was a formidable position, enemy into the town of Saltville, and held a posiand had it been held with tenacity, it would tion nearer the salt-works than any other portion have been almost impossible to dislodge the of the command. Lieutenant-Colonel Bentley disenemy. By the masterly handling of his troops tinguished himself greatly, commanding the General Hobson compelled the enemy to fall Twelfth Ohio volunteer cavalry. About one back. The Fortieth and Thirteenth Kentucky, o'clock the Thirtieth Kentucky mounted infantry under command of Colonel True, were enabled, and Thirteenth Kentucky cavalry were ordered by their position, to do most of the fighting, and by Hobson to cross the river at a point oppopouring a galling fire into the enemy. Lieu- site the centre of our line, and carry the rebel tenant-Colonel Morrison, Colonel Alexander, centre, which they did, with unflinching bravery, Colonel True, Colonel Starling and Captain Page under fearful fire from rebel batteries, killing displayed great courage, as did the entire com- and wounding a number of rebels. Here we mand. Any rash movement upon the part of also lost heavily in officers and men, but our Hobson at this place would certainly have men not only held their position, but drove the brought heavy loss to his men. The troops en- enemy to their works. Supporting this move, a camped a little beyond this point, about six detachment of the Eleventh Kentucky cavalry miles from the salt-works. The march was re- of seventy-five men, under Lieutenant-Colonel sumed the following morning, the Third brigade Grier, made a dashing charge. At this critical having the advance, when we arrived within moment, Lieutenant Wallace, Fortieth Kentucky, two miles of the salt-works, when the skirmish-was ordered to bring up his howitzer battery ing commenced, and there was constant fighting for the purpose of shelling the rebel lines, the from this point to the works. Colonel Hanson reports from which sounded like pop-guns, and all his troops acted with marked courage, when compared with the thunder of the rebel and finally drove the rebels to their lines near artillery. Of course all these movements occuthe salt-works. Here the troops were arranged pied time, and about four o'clock General Hobto deliver battle, the various regiments holding son was ordered by the commanding general to the following positions: The Third brigade on assume command of all the troops, and withthe right, the First brigade the centre, and draw them from the field, our ammunition being Fourth brigade the left. Our lines thus formed exhausted, the men without rations, and exposed a semicircle. The fight was opened on the left to almost certain capture. When the facts beby Colonel Ratcliffe, early in the day. Terrific came known to the troops that the command fighting occurred. The action soon became had been turned over to Hobson, there were general along our entire line. Our attack de-outbursts of joy and many demonstrations of veloped, in less than thirty minutes, the fact, confidence; and during our entire subsequent that in addition to the strongest natural fortifi- march he was received by the troops with cations, the rebel position had been strengthened cheers and shouts as he moved backward and by the most formidable earthworks, erected | forward, looking after their safety and interests. with skill and mounted with rifled guns of heavy General Hobson ordered fires to be built along calibre and long range. It was also quickly the lines, and as soon as it was dark he withdiscovered that they had received heavy rein- drew his army in order and without confusion. forcements, as their long lines of infantry and He immediately sent forward two regiments to cavalry, which were held in reserve, were take possession of, and hold Laurel Gap, to plainly in view. The position assigned Colonel prevent a flank movement by the rebels. The Hanson and his men exposed them to a wither-army marched this night eighteen miles, arriving ing and deadly fire from both artillery and mus- at Berran's the following morning, where we

Porter proposed to start, but at high water there was still so much surf on the bar that the iron-clads and other vessels of heavy draught could not be gotten over it; our departure was therefore delayed till the next day.

On the morning tide of the twelfth the vessels in the harbor passed out, and the whole fleet of naval vessels and transports got under way for this place. As we were leaving, the vessels containing General Abbott's command came in sight; orders were sent to them to follow us.

We did not arrive off Federal Point until nearly night-fall; consequently, and in accordance with the decision of the Admiral, the disembarkation of the troops was not commenced until the next morning. Our subsequent experience fully justified the delay; it would have been extremely difficult to land the men at night.

water separated from the ocean by a sand-spit of about one hundred yards in width, and communicates with it by Masonboro Inlet.

It was supposed that the right flank of a line at that point would be protected by the sound, and, being above its head, that we should by it control the beach as far up as the inlet, and thus, in case of need, be able to land supplies in quiet water there. Our landing place was selected with reference to this idea. An examination made after we landed showed that the sound for a long distance above its head was so shallow as to offer no obstacle to the passage of troops at low tide, and as the further down the peninsula we should go the shorter would be our line across it, it was determined to take up a position where the maps showed a large pond occupying nearly one third of the width of the peninsula at about three miles from the fort. At four o'clock A. M. of the thirteenth, the Shortly before five o'clock, leaving Abbott's briinshore division of naval vessels stood in close gade to cover our stores, the troops were put to the beach to cover the landing. The trans-in motion for the last-named point. On arriving ports followed them, and took positions as at it, the "pond" was found to be a sand-flat, nearly as possible in a line parallel to and about sometimes covered with water, giving no assist two hundred yards outside of them. The iron-ance to the defence of a line established behind clads moved down to within range of the fort it. Nevertheless, it was determined to get a and opened fire upon it. Another division was placed to the northward of the landing-place, so as to protect our men from any attack from the direction of Masonboro Inlet, At eight o'clock nearly two hundred boats, beside steamtugs, were sent from the navy to the transports, and the disembarkation of men, provisions, tools, and ammunition simultaneously commenced.

line across at this place, and Paine's division, followed by two of Ames' brigades, made their way through. The night was very dark, much of the ground was a marsh, and illy adapted to the construction of works, and the distance was found to be too great to be properly defended by the troops which could be spared from the direct attack upon the fort. It was not until nine o'clock P. M. that Paine succeded in reaching the river.

At three o'clock P. M. nearly eight thousand men, with three days' rations in their haver- The ground still nearer the fort was then sacks, and forty rounds of ammunition in their reconnoitred and found to be much better boxes, six days' supply of hard bread in bulk, adapted to our purposes; accordingly, the three hundred thousand additional rounds of troops were withdrawn from their last position, small-arm ammunition, and a sufficient number and established on a line about two miles from of intrenching tools, had been safely landed. The the work. They reached this final position at surf on the beach was still quite high, notwith-two o'clock A. M. of the fourteenth instant. standing that the weather had become very pleasant; and owing to it some of the men had their rations and ammunition ruined by water; with this exception, no accident of any kind occurred.

As soon as the troops had commenced landing pickets were thrown out; they immediately encountered outposts of the enemy, and shots were exchanged with them, but no serious engagement occurred. A few prisoners were taken, from whom I learned that Hoke's rebel division, which it was supposed had been sent further south, was still here, and that it was his outposts which we were meeting.

Tools were immediately brought up and intrenchments were commenced. At eight o'clock a good breastwork, reaching from the river to the sea, and partially covered by abattis, had been constructed and was in a defensible condition. It was much improved after. ward, but from this time our foothold on the peninsula was secured.

Early in the morning of the fourteenth, the landing of the artillery was commenced, and by sunset all the light guns were gotten on shore. During the following night they were placed on the line, most of them near the river, where the enemy, in case he should attack us, would be least exposed to the fire of the gunboats.

The first object which I had in view after landing was to throw a strong defensive line Curtis' brigade of Ames' division was moved across the peninsula from the Cape Fear river down toward Fisher during the morning, and at to the sea, facing Wilmington, so as to protect noon his skirmishers, after capturing on their our rear from attack while we should be engaged way a small steamer which had come down the in operating against Fisher. Our maps indi-river with shells and forage for the garrison of cated that a good position for such a line would the fort, reached a small unfinished outwork in be found a short distance above the head of front of the west end of the land-front of the Myrtle Sound, which is a long, shallow piece of work.