tain Crenshaw; Company B, commanded by Captain Johnson; Company C, commanded by Captain King, and Company D, commanded by Captain McCowan. The aggregate number of my command engaged was 250 men. The position assigned my command in the field was the extreme right wing of the army. From that position I was ordered up by Brigadier-General Rains in the direction of the enemy's battery for the purpose of making a charge. My command advanced up beyond a cabin and near the middle of a grain field, when Brigadier General Rains joined me, and continued at and near the head of my column during the engagement and the entire day. Upon being joined by General Rains, I understood from him we were to charge upon the enemy's battery on a given signal from the commanding officer of cavalry on the east wing. I neither saw nor heard any signal from the east wing to charge, nor was any order given by Brigadier-General Rains at any time for my battalion.

The movement of cavalry throughout from the west wing was a flank movement, and in passing out of the grain field my command [was] exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy's battery, wounding Private George W. O'Haver, of Captain Crenshaw's company (left arm shot off), of which wound he died at the end of two days; his horse was also wounded. And [we] advanced, wounding Private Elijah Wood, of Captain McCowan's company (left leg shot off, but in a fair way to recover). Six horses killed in Captain McCowan's company; several slightly wounded.

After passing through the grain field in the midst of the fire we were led into and across a body of timber and halted by General Rains, some time after which we were ordered across the prairie to the timber on Spring River in order to gain a position in rear of the enemy, but arrived too late, the enemy having gained the timber in their retreat before we arrived.

While halted for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the enemy near the timber on Spring River, we received shots from the enemy's battery, one of which wounded Private John Byler, of Captain McCowan's company, in the left thing and leg, and also wounded his horse.

In consequence of failing to gain the rear of the enemy at the timber on the north side of Spring River, we had to pass some distance down Spring River in order to gain a crossing. After crossing to the south since of the river we traveled up the road leading to Carthage until within a mile and a half of Carthage, when we oblique to the right of the road, marched up to a point of timber opposite to and about 1 mile south of Carthage, when we formed the line, and marched into the town of Carthage soon after the enemy had retreated out of town.

All of our movements during the engagement were according to the orders of Brigadier-General Rains.

I am proud in being able to state that during the whole day [my] command, both officers and privates, demeaned themselves well, and evinced more cool courage than is generally found among raw recruits.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES McCOWN,

Colonel, Commanding First Bat'n Second Cav., Eighth Div. Mo. S. G.

Brigadier-General RAINS,

Commanding Eighth Military Division Missouri State Guard.