Thursday, 29th–We have plenty of wood now. At about 2 o’clock this afternoon a brisk fire opened between our men and the rebels. We have not yet heard what was the cause of it.[1] A scouting party seventeen miles out from the city had a skirmish with the rebel cavalry, but there were no losses outside of several horses. A report came into camp that Port Hudson has been taken by our forces.
[1] This was down at Vicksburg, where there was some heavy cannonading between our gunboats and the Confederate batteries.—A. G. D.