entirely on the dry grass found along the line of march, and very many have perished, and it is with difficulty that I am enabled to move my train. The men also have suffered much on account of want of breadstuffs and salt and the scarcity of beef-cattle, until lately partially relieved by the kindness of Generals Cooper and Stand Watie. General Maxey also is collecting supplies at Doaksville for those going that route. I shall be compelled to move my command slowly for several days until I get within the region of supplies and forage, when I will march eastward toward Clarksville, where instructions from General Smith can meet me, and unless otherwise instructed will continue toward Fulton.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c.,

- Col. S. S. ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

STERLING PRICE, Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, ARK., December 28, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of my operations in the late expedition into Missouri:

I regret to state that the report is meager and incomplete in many of its details, for the reason that Major-General Marmaduke and Brigadier-General Cabell, who bore so honorable and conspicuous a part in the greater part of the expedition, were captured before its close and are now prisoners in the hands of the enemy, while Major-General Fagan, who commanded the Arkansas troops who composed so large a portion of the forces engaged in it, has as yet been unable to make any report; neither have any been received from his subordinate commanders.

In conformity with the letter of instructions of General E. Kirby Smith of the 11th of August, 1864, I made immediate arrangements for a movement into Missouri, as concluded upon in my interview and conference with him upon that subject, with the cavalry forces in the District of Arkansas which was then under my command, being promised, in addition, the brigade of Louisiana cavalry commanded by Colonel Harrison, estimated at 1,500 strong. At the same time information in full detail of the proposed movement, of the routes intended to be pursued, and probable time when it would be made was without delay sent by me to Brigadier-General Shelby, who then commanded in Northeastern Arkansas, with instructions to make an attack, when in his judgment he should deem it advisable, upon Devall's Bluff and the railroad between Little Rock and the White River in possession of the enemy, and by diverting their attention from my own movements enable me to cross the Lower Arkansas-the route then proposed-and unite our forces without danger of failure. These instructions were carried out in full by General Shelby and resulted in his attack upon the railroad, terminating in the most complete success, over 400 Federals being captured, 300 killed and wounded, six forts taken and destroyed, ten miles of railroad destroyed, as well as vast quantities of forage, &c., full particulars of which are contained in the accompanying report of General Shelby. This exploit was one of the most brilliant of the war and cast additional luster upon the well-earned fame of that gallant general and the men and officers under his command.

40 R R-VOL XLI, PT I

It was part of the plan concluded upon that I should cross the Arkansas River about the 20th of August with the troops under my immediate command, but from delay in receiving the necessary ordnance stores I was unable to do so. Finally the required complement was received on the 27th, and on the 28th of August I was relieved from the command of the District of Arkansas, crossed the Ouachita River, and on the 29th arrived at Princeton, where the divisions of Fagan and Marmaduke were, and assumed command of all the cavalry in the District of Arkansas, according to the instructions of General E. Kirby Smith above referred to. In the meantime, owing to the delay in starting, I was of the opinion that the enemy had become informed of my intended line of march, and I concluded that I would cross the Arkansas River at the most feasible point north of Little Rock and south of Fort Smith, taking into consideration the probable means of obtaining forage and subsistence.

On the 30th I accordingly took up my line of march in the direction of Little Rock and arrived that afternoon at Tulip, a distance of nine miles. Colonel Harrison's brigade had not yet arrived, but as I could no longer delay I left instructions at Princeton directing him if he should arrive there within three days to follow on and form a junction with me, giving him information of the route I should travel; but in case he did not reach that place within that time that he should then¦ report to the commanding general of the District of Arkansas. Colonel Harrison did not take part in the expedition. On the morning of the 31st I resumed my line of march in the same direction as on the previous day, and continued on the same until I arrived within seven miles of Benton, when I diverged to the left, taking a northwest direction, sending Major-General Fagan across the Saline River to make a demonstration toward Little Rock and at the same time protect my right flank. On the 5th of September he rejoined me, bringing up the rear.

I reached Dardanelle on the 6th day of September. The country through which I had passed was hilly and in some parts mountainous, sparsely settled, but plenty of forage and subsistence had been obtained. The Arkansas River being fordable at this point, on the 7th I crossed it with the command and train and marched to Dover, a distance of fourteen miles. Major-General Marmaduke with his division and a portion of his train had already crossed it before my arrival, thus covering the crossing of the remaining portion of the army.

At Princeton verbal and written communications had been sent to Brigadier-General Shelby apprising him of the change of route and directing him to form a junction with me at Batesville, but up to this time had received no information from him of his movements or position. I resumed my line of march in the direction of the last-mentioned place, Major-General Fagan, with his command, marching along the Springfield road, and Major-General Marmaduke's headquarters and train on the Clinton road, marching by separate roads on account of the scarcity of forage and for the purpose of ridding that section of the country of deserters and Federal jayhawkers, as they are termed-i. e., robbers and murderers-with which that country is infested. These bands, however, dispersed and took refuge in the mountains at the approach of the army, although several of them were killed and a small number taken prisoners. On arriving at Little Red River on the 10th, still without information of the position or movements of General Shelby, I dispatched an officer of known skill and daring to communicate with him, directing that he should unite himself with the rest of the command at once.

On the 12th I arrived at a point on White River eighteen miles above atesville, and having received information that Brigadier-General helby, with his command, was at Powhatan, about sixty-four miles ortheast of Batesville and on the selected route to Missouri, I adopted he town of Pocahontas as the point of rendezvous, and directed Majoreneral Marmaduke, with his own command, his train, and that of eadquarters, to march to that point direct, while I proceeded with my caff to Batesville, and from thence to Powhatan, while Major-General agan, with his division, who had arrived at Batesville, marched to owhatan on the left.

I arrived on the 13th of September and found Brigadier-General Shelby here with a portion of his command. The next day I reached Pocahontas, distance of 356 miles from Camden, and there the remaining portion f Shelby's command reported, including the brigades of Jackman, IcCray, and Dobbin. In fine, the whole army was concentrated. he country over which I had passed was rugged and mountainous in he extreme, and had damaged the transportation to some extent; but had already been or was on the, point of being repaired, and on the ther hand, by adopting the routes marched over sufficient forage and absistence had been obtained. The towns and villages through which had passed had been robbed, pillaged, burned, or otherwise destroyed y the enemy, and were nearly deserted by the former inhabitants; in act, the whole country presented but a scene of devastation.

Upon arriving at Pocahontas I immediately proceeded to organize he army, which was completed on the 18th, as follows: Fagan's division, ommanded by Maj. Gen. J. F. Fagan, was composed of Brig. Gen. W. . Cabell's brigade, Colonel Slemons' brigade, Colonel McCray's brigade, Colonel Dobbin's brigade, Colonels Lyles' and Rogan's commands, and Captain Anderson's battalion. Marmaduke's division, commanded y Maj. Gen. J. S. Marmaduke, was composed of Brig. Gen. John B. Clark, jr.'s, brigade, Colonel Freeman's brigade, Colonel Kitchen's regiment, and Lieut. Col. R. C. Wood's battalion. Shelby's division, commanded by Brig. Gen. J. O. Shelby, consisted of Colonel Shanks' brigade, Colonel Jackman's brigade, and Colonel Coleman's command. Having determined to invade Missouri in three columns, Major-General Fagan, with his division, was ordered to march to Fredericktown, Mo., by the way of Martinsburg, Reeves' Station, and Greenville. Major-General Marmaduke, with his division, was ordered to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown, to the right of the route to be followed y Fagan's division, as above designated, varying from it from ten to thirty miles, or as nearly within those limits as might be practicable on account of roads and forage. Brigadier General Shelby, with his command, was to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown by a route to the left of General Fagan's, varying from it from ten to twenty miles as nearly as practicable on account of roads and forage. The headquarters to march with the center column. At Fredericktown the three divisions were ordered to form a junction. A map of the route to be followed was furnished each of the division commanders. The most stringent orders were issued against straggling and pillaging under the severest penalties, and the division commanders earnestly enjoined to use their utmost endeavors to have the order carried into effect in every particular and without delay.

On the 19th of September the army marched in the order above desig nated, and on that day I entered Missouri with nearly 12,000 men, of whom 8,000 were armed, and fourteen pieces of artillery, and on the 24th day of September reached Fredericktown, Mo., with the center column,

Brigadier-General Shelby, with his division, was in advance, passing in his route through Doniphan and Patterson, while Major-General Marmaduke, whose route was by Poplar Bluff, Castorville, and Dallas, had not yet come up. On the 19th, before Brigadier-General Shelby reached Doniphan, news of the arrival of the army having been received, a force of the enemy composed of a portion of the Twelfth Missouri (Federal) Cavalry, then occupying the place, withdrew and retreated to Ponder's Mill, burning the houses of citizens as they passed along, where they were overtaken the next day by scouting parties sent in pursuit and were routed with a loss of a lieutenant and 3 men killed, 4 wounded, and 6 prisoners, besides several horses and small-arms captured. Our loss, 2 killed and 5 wounded.

On the 22d Brigadier-General Shelby attacked the town of Patterson, but the garrison having received information of the approach hastily evacuated the place with a loss of 28 killed and several wounded; also telegraph battery and operator captured. No loss on our part. On the 25th I remained at Fredericktown awaiting the arrival of Marmaduke's division, which came up that evening within eight miles of the place. Major-General Marmaduke on his route had a few skirmishes with the Federal militia, killing and wounding 4 and capturing 11.

Colonel Jeffers, of Marmaduke's division, had, before the arrival of the army at Pocahontas, been sent with his regiment to Bloomfield, Mo., which the enemy evacuated at his approach, whereupon he attacked their rear, killing a number and capturing arms and six wagon loads of army stores, he rejoined his brigade (Clark's) on the 24th; detached again on the 25th, he attacked and by a gallant charge drove the enemy out of the town of old Jackson. (For particulars see BrigadierGeneral Clark's report.)

I received at Fredericktown satisfactory information that the strength of the enemy at Ironton was about 1,500 and that the Federal General A. J. Smith was encamped about ten miles from Saint Louis with his corps, composed of about 8,000 infantry, on the Saint Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad. I immediately issued orders to Brigadier-General Shelby to proceed at once with his division by the way of Farmington to a point on the Saint Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad, where there were three fine bridges in close proximity to each other, and to destroy the railroad there and the bridges; after effecting that object to fall back in the direction of Ironton and Pilot Knob, which would effectually prevent General A. J. Smith from re-enforcing the garrison at those places, while I would attack and take them with the divisions of MajorGenerals Fagan and Marmaduke. General Shelby proceeded to the point indicated and performed the duty assigned him in the most com. plete and effective manner, destroying the splendid bridge at Irondale as well as the three bridges mentioned, tearing up miles upon miles of the track, burning the ties, rails, &c. (For full particulars reference is made to the accompanying report of Brigadier-General Shelby.)

On the morning of the 26th, being rejoined by Major-General Marmaduke's division, I proceeded at an early hour with Fagan's and Marmaduke's divisions in the direction of Ironton and Pilot Knob, at the same time sending forward a portion of Fagan's division to take and hold a difficult pass in that direction between two mountains within three or four miles of Ironton. This was effected rapidly and with success. That evening I sent forward the remainder of his division, leaving his train at Saint Francis Creek, six miles from Ironton, where forage could

*It was the Third Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

be obtained for the animals and where I encamped for the night with the rest of the command. That evening Major-General Fagan drove in the Federal pickets at Arcadia and took position before the town for the night. The next morning he drove the enemy from Arcadia, where they abandoned a very strong position, through Ironton, where he also took a strong fort in the most gallant and brilliant manner. The enemy took refuge behind their fortifications at Pilot Knob. Having received such information as appeared to be perfectly reliable concerning the character and strength of the fortifications as induced me to believe that the place could be taken without great loss, I accordingly directed Major-General Marmaduke to take possession of Shepherd's Mountain, which was west of the fortifications and completely commanded them. This was most satisfactorily accomplished and his artillery placed in position on the mountain. Major-General Fagan formed on the south and east. Skirmishing took place all the day and heavy firing of artillery from the enemy until about 2 p. m., when a charge was ordered and made in the most gallant manner, officers and men vying with each other in both divisions of unsurpassed bravery, charging up nearly to the muzzles of the enemy's cannon.

Where all acted as heroes it seems almost invidious to make any exception, but I must be allowed to call attention to the courage and gallantry of Brigadier-General Cabell in leading his men to the assault, having his horse killed under him within forty yards of the fort.

But the information I had received in regard to the strength of the fortifications proved totally incorrect. Our troops were repulsed, and it being too late to renew the assault they were withdrawn beyond the reach of the enemy's guns and preparations were made for a renewal of the assault on the next day. I had dispatched a courier on the morning of the 27th to Brigadier-General Shelby informing him of the proposed operations and directing him to rejoin the main army to assist in the attack, and on the evening of the 27th another courier was dispatched to him informing him of the capture of Arcadia and Ironton, and of the repulse at Pilot Knob, and of my design to renew the attack on the following morning; and hoping that the courier would meet him on the way, instructed him to join me, as also the route to pursue. Neither of these communications, as it appears, were received by Brigadier-General Shelby, who, having heard that there was a force of the enemy at Potosi, had left the railroad and marched to attack them at that place, which was captured by him with its garrison of 150 Federals, arms, ammunition, &c. The depot of the railroad at that place, with seven fine cars, was also destroyed. (For full particulars reference is made to the accompanying report of Brigadier-General Shelby.)

The enemy at Pilot Knob on the night following the first attack evacuated the fort, blowing up the magazine and leaving in my possession 16 pieces of artillery, a large number of small-arms, a large amount of army stores, consisting of bales of blankets, hundreds of barrels of flour, many tierces of bacon, a great quantity of coffee, &c. After destroying the artillery, which I could not take with me, and distributing such of the stores as were needed among the troops, I moved my command twelve miles on the road the retreating army had gone, sending Marmaduke forward in pursuit in command of his own and Shelby's division, which had rejoined the command. Untiring pursuit was made night and day, but it was not until the evening of the following day (the 27th [29th]) that he was overtaken, owing to the natural difficulties presented by the country over which the enemy retreated. MajorGeneral Marmaduke, who was in advance, fought him until an hour