[CHAP. XXVIII.

Fentress, Clinton, and Wayne Counties, and trust soon to exterminate them all.

I have the honor, general, with much regard, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES R. HOWARD,

Colonel, Commanding Cavalry, C. S. Army.

General E. KIRBY SMITH.

OCTOBER 15-20.-Operations against guerrillas in the counties of Henry, Owen, and Gallatin, Ky.

Numbers 1.

Report of Colonel Orlando H. Moore, Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIFTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY,
Louisville, October 22, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in compliance with orders I moved with seven companies of my command on the morning of the 15th instant, and in consequence of railroad detention did not arrive at Eminence until 10 o'clock a.m. Captain Gore furnished a detachment of 8 men, under command of Lieutenant Armstrong, to act as scouts, and we proceeded to Bethlehem; were re-enforced by Captain Sewell with 8 or 10 men, and then marched to Gratz, on the Kentucky River, in the night, where we expected to attack a force of the enemy by daybreak reported in that vicinity. When we arrived the enemy had fled, and we proceeded to Owenton; found a guerrilla force, which fled on the first appearance of our advance guard. In the night I sent a detachment of soldiers mounted to Monterey, where they surprised and took prisoners 5 rebel soldiers of the First Florida Cavalry, together with their horses and equipments. Three of them were paroled in consequence of ill-health. On Saturday, 18th instant, I proceeded with two companies of infantry and 15 infantry soldiers mounted to attack a band of querrillas in the hills, who proved as ambitious to get out of our way as we were to pursue and attack. That same night we captured a rebel soldier in the hills and took into custody 5 rebel soldiers. We arrested and paroled many rebels in and about Owenton.

On Monday, the 20th instant, we marched to Warsaw, on the Ohio River, where steamboat transportation was in waiting for the command; but owing to a report of a large rebel force having arrived in that vicinity to attack us, we waited until the next morning before embarking on board the boat. We kept the towns we occupied under strong guard and dispersed or arrested all parties after 10 o'clock at night. Our efforts in dispersing rebels in the counties of Henry, Owen, and Gallatin were successful, but the Union inhabitants are apprehensive of future depredations and annoyance from rebels and guerrilla parties in the absence of troops.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ORLANDO H. MOORE,

Colonel Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry.

Captain N. C. SEMPLE, A. A. G., Louisville, Ky.