JANUARY 12, 1865. -Affair near Sugar Loaf Prairie, Ark.

REPORTS.

No. 1. -Brigadier General John B. Sanborn, U. S. Army, commanding District of Southwest Missouri.

No. 2. -Captain William L. Fenex, Seventy-third Infantry Enrolled Missouri Militia.

No. 1. Report of Brigadier General John B. Sanborn, U. S. Army, Commanding District of Southwest Missouri. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, Springfield, Mo., January 16, 1865-10. 30 a. m.

Captain Fenex, with a detachment of Enrolled Missouri Militia from Forsyth, captured Alfred Cook's entire band, fourteen in all, near Sugar Loaf Prairie, in Arkansas, on the 12th instant. All were driven into a cave and there smoked out. Cook and his two lieutenants were killed in the affair. These three have been most brutal and bloody men.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major-General DODGE,

Commanding Department of the Missouri.

No. 2. Report of Captain William L. Fenex, Seventy-third Infantry Enrolled Missouri Militia. SPRINGFIELD, MO., January 17, 1865.

I would respectfully report to you that on the 8th instant I started a scout of twenty-five men, under the command of Lieutenant Kissel, to look after old Snavles' [Schnable's] whereabouts, and, if possible, to capture or exterminate Alfred Cook and his band, that had so long been a terror to the loyal people of Taney, Christian, and Stone Counties. After reaching the Sugar Loaf Mountains, about thirty miles south of Forsyth, Lieutenant Kissel there learned, through strategy, that Cook, with his band, was in a cave some two miles from his house, when he immediately determined to press Cook's son, a small boy, to pilot him to the cave, which he did, and found Cook and thirteen others with him. After surrounding the cave he demanded an unconditional surrender of all in the cave, which was refused. He then gave them four hours to consult, with the promise that all that surrendered in that time should be carried to Springfield and there be turned over to the proper authorities to be dealt with according to law. He made this proposition as the last hope of salvation for them. At the expiration of the time allowed nine of the party surrendered, leaving in the cave some five others [with] Alfred Cook, their leader, which explains the reason that Cook and Ed. Brown were not brought to Springfield. The lieutenant and his brave boys continued the siege until the next morning, when Cook and his party succeeded in getting their Southern rights. All praise to the lieutenant and his brave boys.

Respectfully, yours,

WM. L. FENEX,

Captain Company M, Seventy-third Enrolled Missouri Militia.

Brigadier-General SANBORN.