to proceed forward at once. He did not furnish me with an escort until the morning of the 3rd. The escort consisted of 75 men, under command of Captain J. [I.] Worthington, First Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers. One-third of the escort were drunk, whooping and hallooing when we left Cassville. We camped, on the night of the 3rd, 18 miles from Cassville. About daylight on the morning of the 4th, we broke camp, and moved in the direction of Bentonville. When within a half mile of Bentonville (about 9 a. m.) we ran in the rebel pickets. We charged the town, and took 1 prisoner, whom Captain Worthington paroled. We went the same night to the headwaters of Flint Creek, and camped, where we took 2 prisoners, who said they belonged to Marmaduke's army. We took them along with us. On the morning of the 5th, we moved at daylight, and, being informed by one of our prisoners that a party of 65 men, formerly of Livingston's band, were waiting to meet us, we prepared to receive them in case they should attack us. We met them about 2 miles from our camp. We attacked them; killed 1 horse and took 1 prisoner. Soon after we arrived at a house, and the occupant (a woman), supposing that we were a part of Quantrill's band, informed me that there was a party of 65 rebels half an hour ahead of us. Not wishing to engage them, we took the left-hand road, after seeing by their tracks that they had taken the right. We traveled about 4 miles on this road in the direction of Flint Creek. We were here attacked by the party. We drew them from their position. They divided, part getting in our front and part in our rear, and we had a running fight for about 10 miles without any disaster on our side. We then struck the State Line road, about 12 miles south of Maysville, when they left. We marched about 8 miles, and stopped to feed. We put out pickets about one-half of a mile in our rear. The advance of the enemy came up. Our pickets fired on them and came in. Immediately after, an attack was made on us by about 300 men. About 50 of our men broke and ran. While Captain Worthington was trying to rally them, I took command of those that remained (about 25), and held the enemy in check until, being flanked on right and left, I fell back one-half mile to a place called Hog-Eye, and formed. They flanked me again. I then fell back to Round Prairie, where I was again attacked. I formed my men on the prairie; the enemy were in the timber. After a fight of about twenty minutes, in which I lost 1 killed and 2 wounded, and my horse being shot under me, I gave the order to my men to retreat, knowing that they could not compete with the numbers against them. Captain Worthington not having succeeded in rallying his men, I had no support. As soon as my horse was shot, knowing that I could not escape, I destroyed the dispatches of which I was the bearer. I was then taken prisoner by Captain Brown, C. S. Army, together with 22 men of the First Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers. We were marched about 25 miles that night, to Captain Brown's camp, where we arrived at 2 a. m. of the 6th. On the morning of the 6th, the enlisted men were paroled, by order of General Cabell; after which I was offered my choice, either to go to Little Rock, Ark., or accept a parole. I accepted the latter. In the morning we left their camp under a flag of truce. I hired a wagon to convey the sick and wounded to Cassville, where we arrived at about 12 m. on the 9th instant.

Respectfully submitted.

JOHN GARDNER,

Captain Company E, Second Kansas Cavalry.

Captain C. G. LAURANT,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. Southwestern Missouri, Springfield, Mo.