cavalry, in the advance, to go into Sibley. As soon as they made the edge of the town, they were fired upon by a party of bushwhackers. They returned the fire with great vigor. I then ordered the infantry to skirmish the woods and get to the rear of the town, but the brush was so thick they could not make it. There was sharp shooting in my front while the infantry was in the brush. I then ordered Lieutenant [J. H.] Brown and Lieutenant [R. P.] Mooney forward to support the first squadron, when the bushwhackers made a hasty retreat, leaving 2 of their number dead and 4 wounded. It being a general place of resort for the bushwhackers, and where they concentrated to fire into all the boats that pass for the purpose of plundering them, and as they used the houses for shelter to fire on my men, the town was burned, except one or two houses that were left, reported as Union property.

From information I received at different times through the day that parties had left the evening before and gone toward the south, and as the force was light at Independence, I returned to that place. On my return, a party of my cavalry ran some bushwhackers from Mr. Roberson's house, where I had run them from the house three times before, and told them to be careful and not have them run from there again. They paid no attention to it, and their house was burned. I arrived at Independence with my command at 7 o'clock, on the 23rd of June, 1863, with 6 horses captured; 4 of them were turned over to Captain [J.] Huntoon and 2 turned over to the owners by myself.

I have the honor to be, major, respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. A. FLAGG,

Captain, Commanding Detachment Fourth Missouri State Militia.

Major P. B. PLUMB,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

JUNE 23, 1863.-Skirmish near Papinsville, Mo.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Bazel F. Lazear, First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

LEXINGTON, June 28, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, on the morning of the 23rd instant, Major [Alexander W.] Mullins, in command of a detachment of the First Missouri State Militia Cavalry, from Germantown, followed a band of rebels, about 50 in number, to the Osage River, near Papinsville, Bates County, where they crossed the river, going south. Pursuit was kept up for some 12 miles south of the river, when the party were overtaken by Major Mullins' advance. A skirmish ensued, resulting in the killing of 1 rebel and wounding 1, and capture of 1 Enfield rifle, with 40 rounds of cartridges, 1 horses and 1 mule. It was now night, and the rebels fled and were lost sight of. Major Mullins had 1 man badly, if not mortally wounded.

Very respectfully,

B. F. LAZEAR,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

Brigadier-General EWING,

Commanding District of the Border.