and they were becoming very troublesome, going in bands, robbing and murdering citizens and soldiers. To punish these villains a little fighting was necessary. Small parties of the enemy were stationed and others scouting over the country, giving me a large and splendid field to operate in. My command soon increased to something over 100 officers and men. There were several other officers in that section on similar duty, most of whom refused to co-operate with me, consequently I had to rely on my own small command in all encounters with the enemy.

On the 6th September, I attacked the rear of the Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry, inflicting considerable loss and completely routing them.

On the 8th September, we attacked Beatty's band of robbers, killing 8 and routing the balance.

On the 16th September, we followed a brigade of the enemy on their way to Knoxville, via Albany, Ky., and captured 26 prisoners from the Eleventh and Twenty-seventh Kentucky Mounted Infantry and 112 fine beef cattle. There being no way to turn over the property to the army, it was appropriated by the captors. The prisoners were released on parole.

On the 6th October, I attacked Glasgow, Ky., with 120 men. The place was garrisoned by the Thirty-seventh Kentucky Mounted Infantry, commanded by Major Martin, and numbered about 420 men. We killed 9, wounded 26, and captured 2226, together with quartermaster's, commissary, and ordnance stores to the amount of not less than $250,000, which were destroyed and the prisoners brought to Tennessee and released on parole. My loss was 1 killed and 4 wounded.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. HUGHS,

Colonel, Commanding Detachment.

Captain WALTER WEIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Johnson's Brigade.

AUGUST 19, 1863.-Skirmish at Weems' Springs, Tenn.

Report of Captain James Clifford, First Missouri Cavalry.

NASHVILLE, TENN., August 23, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the expedition to Weems' Springs, Tenn.:

In compliance with your instructions from headquarters District of the Cumberland, I left camp at Nashville, Tenn., with my company (F), First Missouri Cavalry, Major General G. Granger's escort, at daybreak on the morning of the 18th instant and proceeded to Hillsborough, Tenn., where I arrived at 1 p. m. Here, in accordance with your instructions, I was joined by Company C, Fourteenth Michigan Infantry (mounted), under command of Captain Mackey. I left there at 9 p. m., travelling all night, and arriving within half a mile of Weems' Springs at 8 o'clock on the morning of the

9th instant.

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*Portion here omitted relates to operations November 27, 1863, to April-, 1864. See Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part I, p. 575, and Vol. XXXII, Part I.

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