2,000, and they had a force of 1,000 cavalry at Farmington. These places are on roads leading and diverging to and from Fredericktown. Spies have been sent out this morning, and I will report as soon as they come in.

Respectfully,

E. M. JOEL,

Lieutenant and Assistant Quartermaster.

C. McKEEVER, Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 5. Reports of Colonel J. B. Plummer, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, commanding, of operations October 18-24, with complimentary letter and order from General Grant.

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP FREMONT,
Cape Girardeau, Mo., October 26, 1861.

GENERAL: Pursuant to your orders of the 16th, I left this post on the 18th instant, with about 1,500 men, and marched upon Fredericktown, via Jackson and Dallas, where I arrived at 12 o'clock on Monday, the 21st instant, finding there Colonel Carlin, with about 3,000 men, who had arrived at 9 o'clock that morning. He have me a portion of pursuit of Thompson, who was reported to have evacuated the town the day before and retreated toward Greenville. I found him, however, occupying a position about 1 mile out of town on the Greenville orad, which he had held since about 9 o'clock a. m., and immediately attacked him. The battle lasted about two and a half hours, and resulted in the total defeat of Thompson and route of all his forces, consisting of about 3,500 men. Their loss was severe; ours very light. Among their killed was Lowe.

On the following dy I pursued Thompson 22 miles towards Greenville, for the purpose of capturing his train; but finding further pursuit useless, and believing Pilot Knob secure, and the object of the expedition accomplished, I returned to this post, where I arrived last evening, having been absent seven and a half days. I brought with me 42 prisoners and one iron 12-pounder field piece, a number of small-arms and horses, taken upon t the field. I will forward a detailed report of the battle as soon as reports from colonels of regiments and commanding officers of corps are received.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. B. PLUMMER,

Colonel Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, Commanding.

General U. S. GRANT, Commanding District S. E. Mo.

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP FREMONT,
Cape Girardeau, Mo., October 31, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of my recent expedition to Fredericktown:

I received the order on the 17th instant, and on the following morning marched with about 1,500 men, composed of the Seventeenth and