direction they came; but they were so completely surprised that they never tried to collect together again. The largest trail I could find in one party was 10. I followed it for 50 miles next day, when they likewise scattered in every direction, and I have ordered Captain McMahon's company of Enrolled Missouri Militia to gather them in. They are completely disorganized.

I am, general, very respectfully,

JAMES STUART,

Lieutenant-Colonel Tenth Illinois Cavalry, Commanding Post.

Major-General CURTIS,

Commanding the Department of the Missouri.

OCTOBER 22, 1862.- Action of Old Fort Wayne, or Beattie's Prairie, near Maysville, Ark.

REPORTS.*

Numbers 1.- Major General Samuel R. Curtis, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Missouri.

Numbers 2.- Brigadier General James G. Blunt, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, Army of the Frontier.

Numbers 3.- Lieutenant Colonel Owen A. Bassett, Second Kansas Cavalry.

Numbers 4.- Brigadier General Douglas H. Cooper, C. S. Army, commanding brigade, and including operations since September 30.

Numbers 5.- Return of Casualties in the Confederate forces.

Numbers 6.- Colonel Stand Watie, Second Cherokee Mounted Rifles.

Numbers 1. Report of Major General Samuel R. Curtis, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Missouri.

OCTOBER 24, 1862- 5.15 p. m.

GENERAL: Our arms are entirely successful again in Northwestern Arkansas. General Schofield, finding the enemy had divided at Pea Ridge, sent General Blunt, with the First Division, westward, and moved toward Huntsville with the rest of his force. General Blunt, by making a hard night's march, reached and attacked the rebels at Maysville, near the northwestern corner of Arkansas, at 7 a. m. on the 22nd instant. The enemy was under Cooper and Stand Watie, some 5,000 to 7,000 strong. The engagement lasted about an hour, and resulted in the total rout of the enemy, with a loss of all his artillery, a battery of 6-pounders, a large number of horses and a portion of their transportation and camp and garrison equipage. Our cavalry and light howitzers were still in pursuit of the scattered forces when the messenger left.

Our loss, 4 killed and 15 wounded; the enemy's much greater.

General Schofield pursued Hindman beyond Huntsville, coming close upon him. The enemy in precipitation fled beyond the Boston Mountains. All the organized rebel forces of the West have thus been driven back to the valley of the Arkansas River, and the Army of the Frontier has gallantry and successfully accomplished its mission. We will now

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*See also Schofield's report, p. 20; and Hindman's, p. 48.

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