and directed my whole fire upon their condensed masses. The slaughter was terrible, and the officers could be seen by the said of the glass endeavoring to keep their men in that position, but two percussion shells from my rifled pieces bursting in the midst of what appeared to be a regiment by division closed in mass they scattered, and rushing upon a fence, crushed it flat to the ground. Other masses, posted near the stream and about the houses, suffered greatly from both our solid shot and spherical-case. At one time a regiment of cavalry appeared to or right, and my battery being 200 yards in advance of the forces forming our right wing, I got them under an enfilading fire, scattering horses and riders in every direction. Our forces had been retiring for some time, when I received orders from General Salomon in person to place my battery in position near where the road entered the woods and cover the retreat. I had scarcely got into battery when the enemy, discovering we were retreating, instantly marched out to the ground we had recently occupied and forme din line of battle. They dressed up their lines, over a mile long, but refused to advance or even to come within range of my guns. The sun was now down, but the moon was giving a brilliant light, so that the rebel line was perfectly distinct, when I limbered to the rear and retired into the woods. Our march back was not interrupted, and we arrived in camp near Sarcoxie at 12 midnight.

The following are the casualties in the battery during the battle: Two wounded. I also lost 1 horse and had 1 horse and 1 wheel disabled.

I desire to call the attention of the general commanding to the operation of the 3-inch rifled guns. During the entire engagement they delivered their fire with an accuracy and certainty not excelled by any pieces upon the field.

The gallant conduct of Lieutenant Hubbard, chief o the right section; Lieutenant Hadley, chief of the left section; Sergeant Strohm, chief o the center section, and Sergeant Doolittle, chief of the line of caissons, is worthy of all praise. The coolness of the sergeants and corporals and the conduct of the entire battery upon this occasion is worthy of honorable mention. My battery fired 397 rounds during the entire engagement, and, being more exposed than any other battery, drew almost the entire fire of the rebel batteries, their shell and solid shot striking all over and under us, with only the casualties mentioned above.

I have the honor to be, captain, your obedient servant,

J. B. STOCKTON,

Captain, Commanding Stockton's Light Battery.

Captain A. BLOCKI,

Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigade, Army of Kansas.

Numbers 8. Report of Colonel Douglas H. Cooper, C. S. Army, commanding division.

HEADQUARTERS FIELD DIVISION,
Camp Coffee, Mo., October 2, 1862.

GENERAL: In conformity with orders from Brigadier-General Rains the troops under my command marched from camp at Scott's Mill, Mo., on the morning of September 24, and moved northward by way of Pineville, for the purpose of forming a junction with Colonel Shelby (who