No. 15. Report of Brigadier General Douglas H. Cooper, C. S. Army.

HDQRS. C. S. FORCES, DIST. OF INDIAN TERRITORY, In the Field, August 10, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of recent operations by the troops under my command in the vicinity of Fort Smith:

My scouts having reported to me at James' Creek, near old Choctaw Council House, a body of Federal cavalry (supposed to be Arkansas) encamped near Caldwell's,and other detachments on Massard Prairie, five miles from Fort Smith, on the 26th of July General Gano was directed to have a detachment of 500 men from his brigade by 3 p.m. for a scout. Detachments from Second Indian Brigade, under Colonel S. N. Folsom,and from Well's battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wells, were also ordered to be in readiness. Lieutenant Colonel Jack McCurtain was directed to take post with his Choctaw battalion by sunrise next morning on the Devil's Backbone, Captain J. Henry Minhart was instructed to report to the senior officer present with the detachments as a guide to conduct the expedition; the whole, except McCurtain's battalion, to rendezvous on Poteau, near Page's Ferry, by dark.

The plan, as shown by Special Orders, No. 86 (marked A),* was for Colonel S. N. Folsom, commanding detachment from Indian division, to attack the camp of Federals at Caldwell's, on the Jenny Lind road, capture or destroy it if possible,and if pursued by other troops on Massard Prairie or from Fort Smith to retreat by the Fort Towson road over the Devil's Backbone, where McCurtain lay in ambush; the detachment from Gano's brigade to remain concealed near Page's, on Cedar Prairie, until the Federals should pass in pursuit of Folsom, and then attack them in rear, while Folsom and McCurtain should turn upon them at the Backbone.

On the arrival of the different detachments at the Poteau General Gano, finding the force from the Indian division much smaller than I had anticipated, and very properly, under the change of circumstances, in accordance with the latter clause of Special Orders, No. 86, determined to go in command of the attacking party, trusting to the assistance of Colonel McCurtain at the Backbone should be followed by a superior force.

The expedition resulted on the morning of the 27th in the complete rout of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry and dispersion of the Arkansas Federals.

Enemy's loss supposed to have been about 50 in killed and wounded and 124 prisoners, the destruction of their camp and transportation, the capture of large numbers of small-arms - rifles, revolving pistols, and clothing, &c., in profusion.

The enemy came out from Fort Smith and pursued for a short distance. A few followed to the Backbone, but again received without molesting our forces, who encamped two miles south of the Backbone at James' Fork for the night. The lack of the party in ambush near Page's enabled them to return in safety to Fort Smith.

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*Not found.

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