Tuesday morning the creek rose ten feet, and the current was so swift
that neither horse nor man could cross. I immediately made disposition
to cross at three points, to cover the railroad bridge and throw
across foot-bridges.

The resistance of the enemy was very strong, and their sharpshooters
very annoying. The artillery duel was very fine, parts of Welker's,
Tannrath's, Richardson's, and Robinson's batteries taking part in it.
The practice on both sides was excellent. The Parrott guns drove the
enemy away from their pieces, disabling and keeping them away for two
hours, but the fact of my being unable to cross infantry prevented our
securing them.

About noon I crossed the railroad bridge with the Eighty-first Ohio
and Ninth Illinois Infantry, and soon after crossed the rest of my
force, except the artillery, on foot-bridges, and drove the enemy
within three miles of Courtland, when they, hearing of the force at
Moulton, fled to Decatur. I followed up, and then returned to camp at
Town Creek that night, being unable to cross any of my artillery.

Colonel Streight reached Moulton Tuesday night, and commenced crossing
the mountains Wednesday, having got nearly two days' start of them.
They supposed he was making for Decatur, and only discovered Wednesday
that he was crossing the mountains toward Georgia.

Having accomplished fully the object of the expedition, and driving
the enemy, which was 5,500 strong, to Decatur, and having been on half
rations for a week, I fell back to Tuscumbia, in order to communicate
with transports, to obtain rations and ammunition. On arriving there I
received information that the gunboats had gone down the river, taking
the transports with them, a part of Van Dorn's force having made their
appearance on the north side of the Tennessee River and shelled South
Florence that day at 4 p. m. They also planted a battery at Savannah
and Duck River; but my precaution in destroying all means of crossing
the river on my advance, prevented him getting in my rear, and the
gunboats, to save the transports, left the day before, having a short
engagement at Savannah and Duck River. Van Dorn's force then moved
toward Decatur. That was the last we heard of them.

On my return I burned all provisions, produce, and forage, all mills
and tan-yards, and destroyed