my command, and am happy to notice the conduct of the field officers of the First Indian, Lieutenant-Colonel Wattles and Major Ellithorpe; of Colonel Ewing, of the Eleventh, and the captains and lieutenants, and of Sergeant Enright, commanding Company I, of the Second, and especially of Captain Crawford, who was in command of the First Battalion, who are all worthy of their brave commands. These officers went into the thickets of the fight, and staid there until, by order or of necessity, the whole line fell, back to more effective positions.

Of Captain Rabb's Second Indiana Battery, Captain Hopkins' Second Kansas (trophy) Battery, and Lieutenant Stover's Second Kansas (howitzer) Battery, I cannot speak in too high terms. Their batteries opened the fire, continued during and ended the fight, and the numbers of killed and wounded of the enemy in front of the batteries testify to their skill.

The hard marching of my command necessarily reduced its numbers, so that my effective force was much smaller than would have been expected.

My loss, though small, is severely felt. I had 8 killed and 59 wounded, of which about 8 are considered mortal. Among the latter was Captain [A. P.] Russell, since dead, who was a good and brave soldier, and a true and gallant friend. His loss is mourned by the entire command.

Herewith I have the honor to transmit the reports of the various commanders of my brigade.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

W. F. CLOUD,

Colonel, Commanding Third Brigade.

Brigadier General JAMES G. BLUNT,

Commanding Army of the Frontier.

Numbers 8. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Stephen H. Wattles, First Indian Home Guards.

HDQRS. First REGIMENT INDIAN HOME GUARDS,
Cane Hill, Ark., December 12, 1862.

SIR: Your order of this date, requiring me to report to your headquarters the part which my command took in the action at Prairie Grove, on the 7th instant, has been received.

Soon after daylight, we were ordered to take position at the base of Boston Mountains, on the road where the small-arms were first brought into play in the running fight of the 28th Ultimo. We remained in that position until the enemy abandoned the hill, and the cannonading commenced at Prairie Grove, when we rapidly marched for the scene of conflict. On our way, at Price's Barracks, about 2 miles from Cane Hill, a flanking party put to flight about 40 of the enemy's mounted men, who were watching our movements about 50 rods from our road.

On arriving at the battle-ground, we dismounted and entered the wood on the left of the center, with the Eleventh Kansas Volunteers on our right and an Iowa Regiment on our left, and rapidly penetrated to the line of battle of the enemy, which gave way on our approach. At this time the Iowa regiment gave our left the partial effect of a volley. This fire in front and rear forced us to retrace our steps, but we rallied and formed again on the first little eminence in the edge of the wood,