Numbers 11. Report of Lieutenant Colonel M. W. Buster, Indian Battalion.

IN CAMP AT NEWTONIA, MO., October 2, 1862.

On Tuesday morning, at 11 o'clock, of the 30th ultimo, this command left Pineville en route for this place. On dress parade the evening before our leaving orders were read to start at sunrise, but about daylight of the morning fixed for leaving a private of Captain Minhart's company murdered a private of the same company. This necessarily delayed starting, and the command did not leave until as above stated. When about 6 miles from Pineville an express reached the colonel commanding battalion to the effect that a battle was raging between your forces and the enemy, and urging the necessity of our reaching the field as soon as possible. Orders were immediately issued to stop the train. Ammunition was issued to the men, the train ordered to follow the command, which started at a brisk trot, and arrived at Camp Coffee at 3 p. m. Here the command was ordered to halt for five minutes to during at the spring and for the men to load their pieces. Again started at a gallop and reached the field at 5 p. m., when it was ordered to take position on the extreme left, which position it held during the cannonading which followed, officers and soldiers behaving well and holding their position in line as well as if on dress parade.

Upon the army withdrawing to bivouac for the night as ordered I formed the rear guard, and had gotten about half way to town when an express man (Barnes) rode up and informed me that Colonel Walker's command were left in the timber on the right without orders. I immediately dispatched him to order him in, which was promptly and successfully done.

Captain Minhart and his company were not with me, they having remained behind to bury their dead member mentioned above. Captain Ross also I directed to remain behind to attend and forward on some work at Pineville. Captain Degen, who was formerly a member of Minhart's company, remained behind to pay the last respect to his dead companion. As soon as I received the dispatch of the battle I forwarded it on the Pineville, with instructions for the above officers and soldiers to hasten forward. They left immediately and arrived on the ground just as we had left it at about 7 o'clock, thus showing their anxiety to participate, having traveled 30 miles in five hours.

It is gratifying for me to be enabled to report that neither officer nor soldier was killed or wounded in the engagement.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. W. BUSTER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Indian Battalion.

Colonel D. H. COOPER,

Commanding First Brigade, Third Dist., Trans-Miss. Dept.

Numbers 12. Report of Colonel J. G. Stevens, First Texas Partisan Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY IN THE FIELD,
Camp Elm Springs, Ark., October 13, 1862.

COLONEL: In obedience to your order of the 29th ultimo I marched the most of my regiment to Granby.