both sides of road and shutting out the sun almost. Regular bushwhacker's country. Ground rising; soil poor and sandy. Five miles north of Mount Elba country church painted white on left of road; four miles across to Chowning's Ferry, on Saline River; favorite haunt of bushwhackers. The command goes into camp toward sunset at a deserted farm on right of road, six miles trom Mount Elba. Sunday, October 9, 1864, reveille at 3 a. m.; general 4.30 a. m.; boots and saddles 5 a. m.; forward 6 a. m. We pass bridge over Big Creek at 6.30 a. m.; bad and dangerous bottom; dense brush and tangled woods line both side of the road. A perfect paradise for an ambuscade; bridge may be held by a few men against a crowd; no way to cross except by bridge and a narrow bridle-path with ford across creek. One-fourth of a mile northeast of Big Creek bridge, a big old field extends on both sides of the road, affording room to camp for a small army; also, fine positions for artillery. First white frost of the season on morning of October 9. Right beyond old field a road turns off to the right; 300 yards farther north another road crosses the Mount Elba and Pine Bluff road from southwest to northeast. Big field of Brewer's farm, nineteen miles to Pine Bluff, forming a square cut-out of dense woods; affords fine and ample camping-ground and a fine position, with some water in the hollow indentation in middle of field. A good field of corn, two miles above Brewer's; place of encounter with the advance of Lane's rebel brigade of cavalry and scouting expedition under Colonel Erskine on Sunday, October 11, 1864. This is the only place where corn might yet be found on the Pine Bluff and Mount Elba road. Tracks of rebel forage wagons all around and on cross-road. Frequent fresh marks of rebel camps and feed places. The Warren road joins the Mount Elba and Pine Bluff road twelve miles from town, intersecting from the right as you march north. Rumor on the road of a rebel courier bringing the news of Price's defeat in Missouri; Fagan killed by Marmaduke in a duel. The rebel force recently concentrated at Monticello is stated to have been assem bled there for the sole purpose of preventing troops in General Steele's department from following Price from Missouri. General report says that they all went back to Red River. Forage around Monticello and on the other side of the Saline River as far as the Washita. The troops under command of Colonel Ritter returned to Pine Bluff by 2 p. m. October 9, 1864. Magnificent weather favored this expedition. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. A. ERSKINE, Commanding First Cavalry Brigade. No. 5. Report of Capt. Adolph Bechand, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry. HDQRS. COMPANY B, THIRTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, Pine Bluff, Ark., October 27, 1864. I have the honor to report that I left this post on the evening of the 24th in command of twenty-six men and proceeded toward Mount Elba. Camped that night fifteen miles from here, between the Warren and upper Monticello road. Left camp at daylight; marched within one mile and a half of Mount Elba. From there I marched by way of the Cornersville road within three miles and a half of Vance's Ferry. Camped that night two miles north of Cornersville. Left camp at daylight; marched toward the upper Monticello road, which I struck about twenty miles south of here. Marched within eleven miles of this post, where I met the enemy, from twenty-five to thirty strong, marching toward Monticello. They broke upon getting sight of my command toward a creek bottom between the Warren and upper Monticello road, about one-half mile distant from the latter road. I charged them at once and found them in line of battle in the creek bottom facing the road they had come, but which I avoided, my guide, William Milton, knowing another crossing. This movement brought me upon their rear and also confused them, so much so that after our first fire they broke without firing a gun, abandoning mules and saddles, shotguns, muskets, and a great many blankets. On account of the many vines and thick underbrush in the creek bottom I was unable to make any prisoners. I was also unable to learn to what command they belonged. The following information I obtained: Part of Parsons' brigade at Warren picketing up and down the Saline; lines are closed; citizens are not allowed to pass. All these pickets are stationed on the south side of the Saline with patrols and vedettes on the north side. As to their strength at these different ferries I learned as follows: At Mount Elba, 150; at Vance's Bluff, 50; and at Redden's Ferry, 150 men. I have also learned that a force, between 300 and 400 men, had crossed at Mount Elba on the 22d of this month to join Logan's command on the north side of the Saline River and had marched up the Saline. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain Company B, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry. Lieut. S. MONTE CAMBERN, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 6. Report of Capt. Gurnsey W. Davis, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry. PINE BLUFF, ARK., October 26, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report that on the morning of October 25 I took command of a detail of fifty men of the Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry Volunteers as escort to telegraph repairer on the line of the Little Rock road. We proceeded quietly on our way, discovering no sign of an enemy until within one mile and a half of what is termed the Halfway House. Here our flankers on the left of the road discovered two mounted and armed men, whom they fired at and put to flight. After carefully examining the woods thereabouts, we proceeded half a mile farther on the road to a point where a road from the Arkansas River crosses. Here we found the wire down, and that a force of cavalry, supposed to be the enemy, had passed in the direction of the river; also that a smaller force, supposed to be a part of the same, had gone in the direction of Little Rock. We made a halt, and I drew my men up in line, which I had hardly accomplished, when our advance guard and flankers commenced firing on the enemy, whom they found in am bush in a ravine or hollow that crosses the line of the road some 300 yards in advance of where my main force formed in line. After firing a volley inte my advance guard, the enemy, about twenty-five or thirty in number, formed a line apparently for the purpose of making a charge, which purpose we forestalled by sending a platoon around on their right and left, and charging down on them with my main force, putting them to precipitate flight. We chased them at full speed to the Half-way House, over a mile from where we first discovered them, firing on them at every opportunity. They were still running so far as we could see them. They being better mounted than my men I thought it useless to follow farther. And not having sufficient material to repair the line (over a mile of which we found down) I concluded to return to camp, where we arrived at 8.30 p. m. same evening without further encounter. Our casualties are 1 man mortally and 1 severely wounded. That of the enemy I do not know, if any. Our mortally wounded man I was obliged to leave at a house some three miles from the Half-way House this way, he being unable to sit on his horse longer. The men under my command behaved well and are deserving of praise; also oftelegraph repairer, I must say that he is a man well fitted for the dangerous occupation which he follows, and I can but congratulate the superintendents of the line in their good forture in procuring the services of a man so well calculated to perform his duties at any and all times regardless of consequences. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. S. MONTE CAMBERN, Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Post Pine Bluff, Ark. No. 7. Report of Capt. Joseph G. Tilford, Third U. S. Cavalry. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., October 28, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to state that, in obedience to orders (verbal) received from Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, Seventh Army Corps, I left this city about 12 m. of the 26th instant, with 10 officers and something near 400 men, and proceeded down the river to the steamer Annie Jacobs. I reached this point about one hour by sun, and finding the steamer safe, and being told by negroes in the neighborhood that I would find a small party of rebels most likely at the plantation of a Mr. Irving, about five miles farther down, I pushed on and encamped there, but found no rebels. The negroes told me that the day before in the afternoon their former young master, Mr. Jeff. Irving, had been there with some twenty or thirty rebels, and told them his father wanted all the young negroes to come South. The negroes ran off. They also told me that Irving told them that Colonel Logan had 1,200 rebels on the river road. The negroes seemed to think there were not more than 300 or 400 of them. They understood they had robbed a tan-yard, and carried off some stock. From all I could learn this seems to have been their object. The only party that came near the boat was the small one that visited Irving's plantation, and their object seems to have been to run off the negroes, which they did, but not in the direction they expected. Early on the morning of the 27th I returned to the boat, went aboard, found everything safe with about forty infantrymen, and the captain not seeming to fear an attack, I concluded the object of the expedition had been accomplished, and returned to the city, which I reached about sunset on the 28th. In regard to forage, I would state that I fed at the Irving plantation, but arriving there in the night, and leaving very early in the morning, I did not see the amount of corn. I fed also at Pennington's and Perkins' plantations, near where the boat is. I found abundance for my command, but can't say how much is left. I had to leave one man sick (First Missouri) at Johnson's, about twelve miles from the city. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. G. TILFORD, Captain, Third U. S. Cavalry, Commanding Expedition. [Lieut. W. A. MARTIN,] Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Cavalry Div., Seventh Army Corps. No. 8. Report of Col. Washington F. Geiger, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, commanding Third Brigade. HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., CAV. DIV., SEVENTH AR MY CORPS, Brownsville, Ark., November 3, 1864. SIR: In compliance to orders received from district headquarters, I have the honor to report that in reading the telegram which ordered me to send the scout of 500 men to Lewisburg I read it Little Rock, by mistake, and not knowing what length of time they should have to remain to await the arrival of Major-General Herron, I did not know what number of rations to furnish. I sent rations to the 1st of November, which were all I had on hand. I supposed that they could draw rations at Little Rock. I sent no transportation because I was not ordered to do so. In relation to the scout sent east of White River, I made the detail and gave the officer in charge the instructions which I received. During the review of my brigade, October 25, 1864, Generals Steele and West asked me if I had made the detail for the scout east of White River. I told them I had not. They replied that they wished Major Snelling, of the Tenth Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, to go in command, and asked me to send for him that they might give him instructions. I did so. He had an interview with them. I detailed the number of men required, 200; placed Major Snelling in command. He left this camp at 8 a. m. October 26, 1864; arrived back on the 2d instant. Herewith I have the honor to forward the report of Major Snelling. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. C. H. DYER, W. F. GEIGER, Asst. Adjt. Gen., District of Little Rock, Ark. ADDENDA. Itinerary of the Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, Seventh Army Corps, Col. Washington F. Geiger, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, commanding. October 5.-The brigade marched out of Austin, Ark., at 9 a. m., to Brownsville, Ark., a distance of fifteen miles, and went into camp. *From monthly return. October 25.-A detachment numbering 200 men, under command of Major Snelling, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, went out on scout in the vicinity of Cotton Plant, Ark. October 29.-A detachment left in command of Lieut. Col. John P. Knight, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, consisting of 500 men, as escort to officers to Fort Smith, Ark. No. 9. Report of Maj. George T. Snelling, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. HEADQUARTERS TENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, Brownsville, Ark., November 3, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 25th of October I was sent for to come to your headquarters, that General West wanted to see me. I reported to General West, being informed by him that I was to take command of a scout that was ordered from our brigade (200 cavalry), with ten days' rations; that I would proceed to White River; there I would meet a boat sent by General Andrews to cross me over the river; then I would proceed to Madison, on Saint Francis River if I thought prudent to go that far, as the scout was not deemed a military scout, but rather a political scout; that Doctor Fryrear would accompany me as a guide and that there would be an election held in Madison to see if there were any Union men in that locality or not, and that I would return by the way of Cotton Plant if I thought it prudent to do so; that there would be no force in that country to oppose me but some small bushwhacking parties, and [to] rout them, bring in all the horses and mules and cattle that I could find. I started at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 26th from Brownsville. Arrived at the Bluffs at 4 p. m. Reported to General Andrews, stating to him my orders from General West. He then ordered me to cross White River at daylight the next morning, that he would give me seventy-five men of the Ninth Kansas and that I would proceed direct to Cotton Plant, moving out some twelve miles that day; the next morning move early to Cotton Plant, allowing no news to get ahead of me if possible; remain in Cotton Plant one day, scouring the country in that locality, bringing in all the stock there was in that part of the country and all negro men I could get, and return on the 1st day of November to Devall's Bluff. And on the morning of the 27th I moved at daylight, crossed my command, 200 of the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, seventy-five of the Ninth Kansas, with five days' rations; moved out sixteen miles and camped on the farm of one Mr. Templeton, twelve miles from Cotton Plant. The next morning moved at 4 a. m.; crossed Cache River, the Ninth Kansas in the advance, with a lieutenant with twenty-five men as advance guard. Moved on to Cotton Plant, taking all male citizens prisoners, sending them to the rear. After arriving at Cotton Plant, finding no force in the place, having completely surprised the citizens, I sent Captain Flesher with seventyfive men out north of Cotton Plant; I, taking fifty men, went out south of Cotton Plant, scouring the country of all horses and mules, burning two houses, taking 3 deserters from our army, 1 from the Twelfth Michigan, 2 from the Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, taking a number of arms from the citizens. One of the houses burned by me was the house of a noted bushwhacker by the name of Simpson, keeping a gang of blood |