JULY -, 1863.- Expedition from Greensborough to Helena, Ark.

Congratulatory orders.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DAVIDSON'S CAV. DIV., DEPT. MO., No. 28.
Camp at Wittsburg, Ark., July 29, 1863.

The commanding general of the division desires to thank, in General Orders, Captain James D. Jenks, of the First Iowa Cavalry, and the 50 brave men of that regiment under his command.

Staring from a point 100 miles from Helena, they marched through a country held by the enemy and infested by guerrillas; dashing upon his outposts wherever he found them; crossing the L'Anguille River under fire of the enemy's pickets; taking 6 prisoners on his road; wounding 1 officer and 1 private, who fell into our hands; destroying his dispatches and communicating their content

to the commander at Helena, without losing an item, his whole conduct presents an example of brilliant cavalry daring worthy of the study and imitation of every officer in this command.

By order of Brigadier- General Davidson:

AUGUSTUS S. MONTGOMERY,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

JULY 30, 1863.-Skirmishes near Elm Springs, Ark.

Report of Lieutenant John E. Phelps, Third U. S. Cavalry.

AUGUST 7, 1863.

GENERAL: On the 28th, of with 28 men of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, I left Cassville, with a scout, under the command of Major [T. J.] Hunt, First Arkansas Cavalry. We marched with that command to Mudtown, Ark. There we left it, and went to Elm Springs. Learning that Captain Arrington, of the rebel army, was near that place with a small force of rebels, we fell in his rear at 12 o'clock at night on the 29th, My men and horses being tired, we stopped. Early next morning we started in the direction of Fayetteville, and came on the enemy's rear guard 6 miles from Elm Springs, and had a skirmish. One rebel was killed and 4 wounded, and 1 horse captured. We joined Major Hunt's command at Fayetteville, and all returned to Elm Springs that night and camped. The next morning, the 31st, we left Major Hunt's command, and took the road to Maysville. About 8 miles from Elm Springs we came upon the enemy, 25 strong, and had another skirmish, killing 4 and wounding 5, and capturing 3 horses. We then proceeded to Maysville. . There I learned that Colonel Coffee was encamped within 10 miles of that place, on Butler's Creek, with 500 men. Not having a force sufficient to attack Coffee, we returned to Springfield, by Neosho, Newtonia, Jollification, Morrisville, and Little York, without meeting any more of the enemy.

My men behaved bravely. The only casualty to my men was 1 in jured by the fall of his horse. We captured in all 16 horses.

JOHN E. PHELPS,

Lieutenant Third U. S. Cav., Recruiting Officer Second Ark. Cav.

Brigadier-General McNEIL