SEPTEMBER 17, 1861.-Skirmish at Morristown, Mo.

Report of Brigadier General James H. Lane, commanding Kansas Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS KANSAS BRIGADE,
West Point, September 17, 1861.

Captain W. P. PRINCE,

First Infantry, Commanding Fort Leavenworth:

SIR: The expedition sent out yesterday afternoon, consisting of the cavalry, two mountain howitzers, and two companies of infantry of Fifth Regiment, in all about 600 men, against tan encampment of the enemy at Morristown, in Cass County, 5, miles from the border, has this moment returned. They succeeded in routing the enemy, killing 7, capturing their entire camp equipage, tents, wagons, &c., some 100 horses and horse equipments. Our loss is 2 killed, 6 wounded-mere flesh wounds, with the exception of two. One of the killed, however, is Colonel H. P. Johnson, who was connected with Colonel Montgomery in the command of the expedition. His loss is deemed by every member of the command as of great importance to the service; as a dashing cavalry officer he had no superior. He was killed, while leading his command, by the enemy in ambush. Details will be given you in my next. I hope you will communicate his death tenderly to his wife, and say to her that his body will be forwarded to Leavenworth to-morrow morning as soon as the coffin is prepared.*

J. H. LANE.

SEPTEMBER 22, 1861.+-Skirmish at, and destruction of, Osceola, Mo.

Report of Brigadier General James H. Lane, commanding Kansas Brigade.

CAMP MONTGOMERY, September 24, 1861.

SIR: Your dispatch of September 18 is this moment received. My brigade is now marching to this point from Osceola, where I have been on a force march, expecting to cut off the enemy's train of ammunition. The enemy ambushed the approaches to the town, and after being driven from them by the advance under Colonels Montgomery and Weer, they took refuge in the buildings of the town to annoy us. We were compelled to shell them out, and in doing so the place was burned to ashes, with an immense amount of sots of all descriptions. There were 15 or 20 them killed and wounded; we lost none. Full particulars will be furnished you hereafter.++

* * * *

J. H. LANE.

Major-General FREMONT,

Commanding Western Department.

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*The remainder of this letter will be found under its date in "Correspondence, etc.," post.

+Date not positively determined; it may have been September 20 or 24.

++Further reports not found, but see Plumly to Scott, October 3, post. Remainder of above letter in the general correspondence, post.

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