JULY 1, 1864.—Skirmish near Fayette, Mo. REPORTS. No. 1.-Brig. Gen. Clinton B. Fisk, U. S. Army, commanding District of North Missouri. No. 2.-Maj. Reeves Leonard, Ninth Missouri State Militia Cavalry. No. 1.. Report of Brig. Gen. Clinton B. Fisk, U. S. Army, commanding District of North Missouri. SAINT JOSEPH, Mo., July 2, 1864. COLONEL: A small detachment of the Ninth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, under Sergeant Koontze, fought Holtzclaw and his guerrillas yesterday morning six miles from Fayette, in Howard County. Two of the guerrillas were killed and one wounded. Our loss one killed and one wounded. The guerrillas outnumbered our boys two to one. Holtz claw and his party were at breakfast at the residence of one Henry Miller, where they had been for several hours, but not one of the citizens of that loyal neighborhood reported the presence of the guerrillas to Major Leonard, who was in less than an hour's ride, with force sufficient to have destroyed the entire band. Col. O. D. GREENE, CLINTON B. FISK, Assistant Adjutant-General, Saint Louis. No. 2. Report of Maj. Reeves Leonard, Ninth Missouri State Militia Cavalry. HDQRS. DETACH. NINTH CAV., MISSOURI STATE MILITIA, Fayette, Mo., July 2, 1864. GENERAL: Sergeant Koontze, of this command, with fifteen men, had a skirmish yesterday, six miles from Fayette, with Holtzclaw and twenty-five other guerrillas. Our loss one killed and one wounded. Holtzclaw's loss two killed and one wounded. The guerrillas scattered; they were getting their breakfast at the house of one Henry Miller; had been there all morning; no one reported the presence of these guerrillas, although there was ample opportunity. Colonel Williams is here; he reports 150 guerrillas in the Perche Hills, and I sup pose he will start for there forthwith. R. LEONARD, Major Ninth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia. Brig. Gen. C. B. FISK, Saint Joseph, Mo. July JULY 1-31, 1864.-Operations in Arkansas.* SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS. 4, 1864.-Skirmish in Searcy County. 6, 1864. Skirmish near Benton. 7, 1864.-Skirmish at Van Buren. 8, 1864.-Skirmish near Huntersville. 25, 1864.-Affair at Benton. 26, 1864.-Action at Wallace's Ferry, Big Creek. 27, 1864.-Action at Massard Prairie, near Fort Smith. 31, 1864.-Action near Fort Smith. REPORTS. No. 1.-Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele, U. S. Army, commanding the Department of Arkansas. No. 2.-Col. Abraham H. Ryan, Third Arkansas Cavalry (Union). No. 3.-Maj. Thaddeus S. Clarkson, Third Arkansas Cavalry (Union). No. 4.-Col. James Stuart, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. No. 5.-Capt. David H. Wilson, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. No. 6.-Brig. Gen. Napoleon B. Buford, U. S. Army, commanding District of Eastern Arkansas. No. 7.-Lient. Col. Moses Reed, Fifty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops. No. 8.-Maj. Eagleton Carmichael, Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry. No. 9.-Lient. Harmon T. Chappel, Battery E, Second U. S. Colored Light Artillery. No. 10.—Brig. Gen. John M. Thayer, U. S. Army, commanding District of the Frontier. No. 11.-Lieut. Jacob Morehead, Sixth Kansas Cavalry. No. 13.—Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby, C. S. Army. No. 14.-Maj. Gen. Samuel B. Maxey, C. S. Army. No. 1. Report of Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele, U. S. Army, commanding the Department of Arkansas. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, ETC., Little Rock, Ark., August 15, 1864. Record of military operations in the Department of Arkansas for the month of July, 1864: 4th, a party of fifty-five men, of the Third Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers, from Lewisburg, under command of Captain Hamilton, of that See also skirmish near Brownsville, July 13, p. 68; reconnaissance from Pine Bluff, July 13, p. 68; expedition from Helena to Buck Island, July 13-16, p. 69; skirmish on the Benton road, near Little Rock, July 19, p. 87; operations on the White River, July 19-25, p. 87; scout in Yell County, July 25-August 11, p. 131; eont to Searcy and West Point, July 26-28, p. 174; skirmish at Hay Station No. 3, July 30, p. 183; and skirmish near Pine Bluff, July 30, p. 183. regiment, made a raid into Searcy, Ark., and killed 7 rebels, wounded 4, and captured 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 53 men, who were organized for General Shelby's command. They also captured 12 horses and mules, 15 stand of arms, and 1 stand of colors. 6th, Lieutenant Mason, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned to Lewisburg from a scout to Norristown, having captured 3 deserters and destroyed 5 flats and skiffs. 10th, a scouting party, consisting of one lieutenant and twenty men of the Tenth Illinois Cavalry Volunteers, ran into a small party of Confederates about twenty miles north of Little Rock, killing and wounding 4 and taking 1 prisoner. 11th, Lieutenant Treadway, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned to Lewisburg from scout to near Devil's Fork, having killed rebel Captain Christopher and 1 man. 12th, Captain Gill, Third Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers, returned to Lewisburg, having had a fight with Captain Adams' company on the Arkansas River near Petit Jean [10th], in which he killed 2 and wounded several of the enemy. 14th, a battalion of the Fourth Arkansas Cavalry returned from scout through Saline, Hot Springs, and Montgomery Counties. Fought with small bands of the enemy daily until arriving at Farr's Mill. Captain Green, with twenty-five men of this battalion, engaged Cook's and Crawford's companies, numbering about 100 men, drove them and killed 4 and wounded 6 of the enemy, without a single accident happening to his men. The battalion lost, during the expedition, 1 private killed, Captain Quin and Lieutenant Spiva and 6 privates wounded, and 3 men missing. 17th, Lieutenant Williams, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned to Lewisburg from scout to Norristown, Dover, &c., having killed 3 bushwhackers and 2 horses on the Arkansas River below Norristown. 22d, Captain Taylor, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned to Lewisburg, from scout to Red River, having killed 4 of the enemy. Maj. L. K. Thacher, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, while on a scout fifteen miles northwest of Pine Bluff, surprised the camp of Captain Lightfoot, of Cabell's command, wounding 1 man, capturing 2 horses, 3 guns, and a large amount of provisions and medical stores, which he destroyed. 24th, Lieutenant Reynolds, Third Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers, returned to Lewisburg from scout eight miles beyond Camp Myrick, having killed 10 of Jackman's and Shelby's men and bringing in 3 prisoners. 25th, a scouting party from the Third Missouri Cavalry, under command of Captain Ing, proceeded to Benton, Ark., and charging into the town Private George W. Lucas, Company C, Third Missouri Cavalry, pursued and killed the rebel Brig. Gen. George M. Holt, Arkansas militia, capturing his arms and horse. 25th, a reconnoitering party, consisting of 360 men of the Fifty-sixth and Sixtieth U. S. Colored Infantry and one section of Lembke's colored battery, the whole under command of Col. W. S. Brooks, Fiftysixth U. S. Colored Infantry, moved from Helena in the direction of Wallace's Ferry, on Big Creek, with the view of ascertaining the designs and force of the enemy. At the same time 150 men of the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry Volunteers, under command of Major Carmichael, dropped down the Mississippi River on board a steamer, and landing at a point below Old Town, marched in the direction of Simms' Ferry, on Big Creek, to co-operate with Colonel Brooks. The infantry and artillery crossed Big Creek at 5 a. m. on the 26th, and learned that the rebel General Dobbin was near there in force, having three regiments, estimated at 1,500 men. Colonel Brooks recrossed his command, Dobbin crossing lower down and before him and attacked him in front and on the right flank with vigor. The infantry and artillery held their ground stubbornly for several hours, when Major Carmichael, hearing the cannonading, made a forced march and charged through Dobbin's command just at the moment when he had brought up his reserve and was about to make a final charge. Our forces immediately assumed the offensive and marched in the direction of Helena, the enemy giving way before them, but following them up within nine miles of that place. Our loss was about 50 in killed and wounded, including Colonel Brooks,* Captain Lembke, Adjutant Pratt, and Surgeon Stoddard,* of the Fifty-sixth Colored, killed, and Lieutenant Crane* severely wounded; 1 caisson and 1 limber that were blown up, their horses having been killed. The enemy's loss is estimated by officers who were in the action at about 150 men. * 27th, a force of between 1,500 and 2,000 rebels, under General Gano, attacked our outposts seven miles from Fort Smith, consisting of about 200 men of the Sixth Kansas, under command of Captain Mefford, moving up in two columns, the one driving in the pickets and the other flanking them. Captain Mefford fought his men bravely, but was soon overpowered, and he and 82 of his men were taken prisoners. The enemy retired before re-enforcements could be sent. Ten of our men were killed and 15 wounded. The enemy lost 12 killed and 20 wounded, left on the field. Major Galloway, of the First Arkansas Cavalry, routed Major Pickler's and Buck Brown's forces, killing Major Pickler and a number of his men, and capturing 35 horses and mules. Captain Worthington, of the same regiment, subsequently attacked a portion of Brown's force, killing 9 and capturing 15 horses and mules. 29th, Captain Napier, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned from scout to Greenbrier, having killed the rebel Captain Birr near Red River. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, F. STEELE, Major-General, Commanding. Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. No. 2. Reports of Col. Abraham H. Ryan, Third Arkansas Cavalry (Union). LEWISBURG, ARK., July 13, 1864–9 p. m. CAPTAIN: Captain Gill has returned from scout through Perry and Yell Counties; had two fights with Conly's bushwhacking regiment. Run them, killing 5 and wounding 10, bringing in 2 prisoners and 8 *Of the 56th U. S. Colored Infantry. Of Battery E, 2d U. S. Colored Liglit Artillery. horses. The men retreated on island below Dardanelle, where Conly is trying to raise an old flat-boat lying there. There is no other force of the enemy in that section. I have sent scout this evening beyond Perryville, then up the Fourche; also one to Norristown, Dover, &c. Is that infantry regiment coming? River rising. Respectfully, Capt. C. H. DYER, Assistant Adjutant-General. A. H. RYAN, Colonel, Commanding Post. LEWISBURG, July [14], 1864. CAPTAIN: Lieutenant Williams in from scout to Norristown. All quiet on this side of the river. Great complaints made against Ninth Kansas Cavalry; they robbed men and women, friend and foe, indiscriminately. Captain Gill had a fight on Sunday with Captain Ádams' company on river above Petit Jean, killing two and wounding several of the enemy. He is now after a force reported eight miles back of Dardanelle. Captain Adams' wife is now in Little Rock arranging to sell and get away cotton. She [has] sold and shipped seven bales already. Respectfully, Capt. C. H. DYER, A. H. RYAN, Colonel, &c. Assistant Adjutant-General. ̧ No. 3. Report of Maj. Thaddeus S. Clarkson, Third Arkansas Cavalry (Union). LEWISBURG, July 7, 1864-10 a. m. CAPTAIN: I sent out Captain Hamilton, with fifty-five men, on Saturday, the 2d, to go into Searcy County and break up a company of men organizing to join Shelby; he returned last night, haying killed 7 rebels, wounded 4, and captured 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 53 men, who had organized and were to start on Tuesday last for Shelby. He captured also 12 horses and mules, 15 stand of arms, and 1 stand of colors. Captain Hamilton reports from an organized [sic] a regiment north of Batesville, to join Shelby, who, he still thinks, is down on White River. One of the men killed by Captain Hamilton was a deserter from this regiment, who had joined the rebels. I will send the prisoners down by first boat. Capt. C. H. DYER, Assistant Adjutant-General. T. S. CLARKSON, Major, Commanding Post. |