aiming to beat them there, if possible. Ii had to leave they young stock I had captured, as it was hard to drive, and take the nearest route to Carthage, traveling without a road.

I reached Carthage about day on the morning of the 5th instant, and immediately commenced preparing to give them a warm reception. About 8 o'clock it was reported that 15 men were advancing south of this place. I sent 3 men to ascertain who it was. They passed on, not seeing any person till they had turned to come back to camp, when they met 15 men, advancing from the direction of town, dressed in Federal uniform. The boys halted them, and sent one man to ascertain who they were. When he got close to them they fired and killed him; his name was John Wells, a private of Company L, Eighth Missouri State Militia. The other boys succeeded, after a hard chase, in escaping.

Major [A. A.] King, of the Sixth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, reported with all of the effective force to Newtonia, to ascertain what was going on in that direction. He sent orders to me to have my baggage moved to Mount Vernon, and for me, with all the effective force I could muster, to follow on the trail taken by the enemy. The train and baggage is under command of Sergt. John Bentley, Company L, Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

MILTON BURCH,

Captain, Commanding Detachment at Carthage, Mo.

C. G. LAURANT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

OCTOBER 5, 1863.-Skirmish near Syracuse, Mo.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.-Lieutenant Colonel Thomas T. Crittenden, Seventh Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

Numbers 2.-Captain Richard M. Box, Seventh Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

Numbers 1. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas T. Crittenden, Seventh Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS,
Tipton, October 9, 1863.

SIR: On Monday morning last a detachment of Company H, Seventh Missouri State Militia Cavalry, of 30 men, under Captain [R. M.] Box, trailed about 60 guerrillas into a thick, brushy hollow, near Syracuse, Mo.; vigorously attacked them, regardless of the disparity in numbers, and soon put them to flight. Twelve guerrillas were killed and 4 wounded- generally mortal shots; 7 or 8 horses, fully equipped, were captured; also a large lot of old and new clothing, and several pieces of unmanufactured cloth. These were a part of Jackman's men, from Howard; supposed to have been under him. It is currently reported that a Colonel Eades, from Cooper County, Missouri, was one of the killed. These guerrillas were evidently on their way to join Jo. Shelby in his present raid into this State. Many of them were in Federal uniform, and finely armed, having a double barreled shot-gun and from two to five Colt's navy revolvers.