Numbers 16. Report of Colonel John Q. Burbridge, Fourth Missouri Cavalry (Confederate) commanding brigade.

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Camp at Burden's Mill, 16 miles from Jacksonport, May 12, 1863.

MAJOR: Inclosed I send you a detailed statement of the part my brigade bore in the expedition into Missouri. It is a plain statement of facts, and can be hardly considered as an official report. I send a list of killed, wounded, and missing.*

I have sent Captain Reves' company west of Black River, with instructions to camp in the vicinity of Powhatan. He will scout in the direction of Pitman's Ferry and Thomasville, Mo. He is also instructed to thoroughly picket the country, to guard against any surprise of the enemy. My pickets are placed between Black River and Cache Swamp. I will send scouts east of the river. As yet I have received no information from Colonel [S. G.] Kitchen, concerning the movements of the enemy in that direction. I will write him, in accordance with your instructions, and get all the information he possesses. But Colonel Kitchen informed me that he was ordered to report directly to Brigadier-General Marmaduke, and, of course, any information he will give me will be voluntarily given.

If Colonel Kitchen was ordered to report to me, I could then keep Colonel Shelby perfectly advised of the movements of the enemy. I have established my headquarters at Burden's Mill, 16 miles from Jacksonport. I suppose I can get forage to keep us between two and three weeks, by hauling 6 or 7 miles.

I have no paroled prisoners; all the prisoners captured by my command were turned over to Colonel Shelby's brigade.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. Q. BURBRIDGE,

Colonel, Commanding.

Major HENRY EWING,

Asst. Adjt. General, Marmaduke's Division, Jacksonport.

[Inclosure.]

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Camp at Burden's Mill, May 11, 1863.

MAJOR: In obedience to General Orders, Numbers -, division headquarters, I herewith submit the following report of the part my brigade bore in the late expedition into Missouri:

On April 14, orders were received to immediately prepare my command for active service. I obeyed this order by sending train, baggage, &c., to the rear, and providing each of my companies, in addition to the regimental train allowed, with one pack mule, for the purpose of conveying such cooking utensils as could be conveniently transported.

On Friday morning, the 17th, I moved, marching 25 miles in a northerly direction, and camping on a small creek in Oregon County, Missouri. The next morning I resumed the march, expecting to form a junction with Colonel [Joseph O.] Shelby, to whom I had been ordered to report, at Williams' Creek. Owing, however, to the scarcity of forage, Colonel Shelby had already started, leaving me to march in his rear through a country known as the Wilderness. After marching 28 miles, I was compelled to halt and encamp without obtaining a particle of forage for my horses.

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* See revised statement, p. 288.

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