"U.S. GUN-BOAT TAYLOR,' MOUND CITY, Nov. 9, 1861.

on.

"SIR,-I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 6th instant I received instructions from General Grant to proceed down the river, in company with the Lexington, under Commander Stembel, for a reconnoissance and as convoy to some half-dozen transport steamers. We proceeded opposite to Norfolk, near the Kentucky shore, where we rounded to, and anchored for the night. I then learned for the first time the extent of the reconnoissance.

"At three o'clock the following morning, at the request of General Grant, the Taylor and Lexington started down the river for the purpose of engaging the rebel batteries at Columbus; but after proceeding a few miles we were met with such a dense fog as to render any farther progress hazardous; we therefore rounded to, and returned to the point from whence we started. At six o'clock we all got under way, our two gunboats taking the lead, and convoying the steamers containing Generals Grant and McClernand and their aids, and some three thousand troops, two companies of cavalry, and some artillery. We proceeded down the river to the extreme end of Lucas's Bend, and just without, as I thought, the range of their guns on Iron Banks. After the troops had disembarked, and were under marching orders (half-past eight o'clock), our two boats proceeded to engage their batteries on Iron Banks, each expending several rounds of shell, and returning to the transports. Their shot passed over us, though in some instances coming very close to us. At this time, with their long-range rifled cannon, they sent a large number of shot half a mile above the transports. I requested the captains of the transports to move up and out of the range of their shot, which they did. At ten o'clock, the engagement having commenced at Belmont, we again engaged the Iron Bank batteries, expending still more shell, their shot flying around us, but doing no harm, while our shells seemed to go where they could be effective. We returned, after an engagement of about twenty minutes, to the transports.

"At about noon, hearing the battle of Belmont still going on, our two gun-boats made a third attack upon their batteries, this time going nearly a quarter of a mile nearer to them. We opened a brisk fire of shell, and seemingly with good effect. While in this engagement one of their 24pounders struck us on the starboard bulwarks, and, continuing obliquely through the spar-deck, took off the head of Michael Adams, seaman, and broke the arm and otherwise seriously injured James Wolfe, seaman, and slightly wounding a third. Acting-Surgeon Kearney, who was cool and