river at my picket stations. This morning at daylight it had been renewed.

Lieutenant-Colonel [Frederick W.] Schaurte got in yesterday with he first part of the train and the paymaster. The refugee train, which I re-enforced 60 miles off, is also in safety.

The enemy have left Van Buren, and taken all but a handful of men from Fort Smith. They are massed south of the river in front of me, and give their forces at 11,000. Their real force is between 4,000 and 5,000 men. They are determined that I shall not recruit in the country south of the river, and tell the Indians that the United States forces are whipped in Virginia and will be obliged to evacuate the Indian country, and that their only safety is with the Confederacy. Three of my Indian picket stations behaved very badly, having deserted their posts without giving me notice, and allowed the enemy to get on my flank in the morning.

I feel it due to the majority of the men and officers to compliment their gallantry and heroism, by which we, without risking our position, achieved a decided victory over greatly superior numbers.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. A. PHILLIPS,

Colonel Third Indian Home Guard, Kansas Infantry, Commanding

Major General JAMES G. BLUNT.

MAY 21-30, 1863.-Scout from Cassville, Through Northwestern Arkansas, into Newton and Jasper Counties, Mo., including skirmishes (22nd) at Bentonville and (26th) near Carthage.

Report of Colonel William F. Cloud, Second Kansas Cavalry, commanding District of Southwestern Missouri.

SPRINGFIELD, MO., May 30, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I have just returned from a movement to the south and west of this place.

I left Cassville on the 21st, and on the morning of the 22nd surprised the rebel force at Bentonville, taking 2 commissioned officers, 1 first sergeant, and 11 privates prisoners, and killing 1. I also recaptured 3 prisoners in the hands of the enemy

Learning that Coffee and Hunter were at Pineville, I immediately moved in that direction, and, taking their trail, followed them from Pineville, via Rutledge; then west of Neosho to Diamond Grove, and west of Carthage about 10 miles, where I overtook a part of their force, under Coffee, abut 100 strong, and attacked them with about equal force at daylight of Tuesday, May 26, and as they would not stand and fight, but took to the woods and brush, I was obliged to be content with scouring the same, and dispersing them. Hunter had gone north to Cedar County with about 100 men, and Livingston was not to be found. After disposing of my command so as to annoy and capture as many of those roving bands as possible, I returned to my headquarters.

Lieutenant-Colonel Crittenden, Seventh Missouri State Militia, has been quiet successful lately in damaging a part of Livingston's band, and a party of 16 men, under command of a so-called Colonel Harrison, were attacked and killed by Indians upon the Verdigris River, west of Missouri, while on their way to the west to plunder upon the road to