FEBRUARY, 17-18, 1865. - Scout from Pine Bluff, Ark., to the Arkansas River, with skirmish (17th) near Bayou Meto, Ark.

Report of Captain John H. Norris, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
Pine Bluff, Ark., April 19, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to your orders of this date I have the honor to submit the following report:

That on or about the 17th of February, 1865, I commanded a scout of about seventy-five men and one officer, to wit, Lieutenant Z. P. Curlee, of our regiment, and camped the night before a short distance the other side of Bayou Meto, about fifty miles below this place and about five miles from the Arkansas River. Early on the morning of the 17th I commenced crossing the Bayou. It was quite full, about fifty yards wide, and the horses had to be swum over. As soon as one platoon of men and horses were over I ordered Lieutenant Curlee to take the platoon and search the country around for the enemy for a distance of two miles out and return by noon, directing him to search well on each side the main road to a swamp on the right and lake on the left, which extended out over one mile and a half, and if he should find an enemy to fight him, and if too strong to send me word and fall back himself. The lieutenant returned in due time, bringing one Thomas Farrelly with him, and reported to me that he had found armed men at and around the residence of this man Farrelly, that he had a slight engagement, or rather a running skirmish, and had killed 1 man and captured 1. That upon searching the house of Farrelly he had found arms and considerable ammunition, also ammunition secreted upon the person of Farrelly. He said there was a rebel bushwhackers lived there by the name of Hagler, who fought them until they killed him; and believing as he did that Farrelly's house was a harbor for bushwhackers and unauthorized bands, he deemed it his duty to burn the house. He said he was careful to have everything removed to a safe place, as he supposed, before firing the house and that whilst removing the plunder out of the house the prisoner made his escape. I observed the men closely as soon as they returned, and discovered no sign of any plunder of any kind in their possession or about them. I rode along privately with Farrelly for over a mile, and in answer to my interrogatories whether the "boys" had taken anything away, or had pillaged the house previous to setting fire to it, he said e said he had but $50 in greenbacks and some Confederate money (I disremember how much), and brought no accusation against any one for taking any plunder. I heard nothing of any gold or any more money. I inquired of Farrelly if he has ever taken the oath of allegiance. He answered, "No; it has never been required of me. " I know nothing of the burning of any other building, or anything else save the dwelling house. I inquired of his about corn. He said he raised very little last year, and that it was nearly all gone. I inquired about the cotton crop. He said he had raised fourteen bales last year, and had sold nine bales and delivered them yesterday to the steam-boat Superior for dry-goods, groceries, ammunition, and medicines that Curlee found at his house. I heard nothing of the killing of the mare or any other stock. This man Hagler who lived at Farrelly's was a notorious rebel bushwhacker, and operated with a gang commanded by one Ralston, who