evening before. Knew nothing of the whereabouts of any of them. I then made him go with us, and told him to guide us to their camp. At first he denied as before, but finally took us to the camp where Fletch. Taylor had his arm amputated, and had left there very recently, as the signs were fresh and new. Found bandages stained with blood, pillow, &c., but no man. Finding that Bord was only leading us through the brush in order to give the bushwhackers time to escape I gave him a little hanging, which immediately improved his knowledge of the country. He told me two bushwhackers had been at his house the evening before to see his daughter, and on our starting again he led us through the thickest kind of brush to four other camps, one of which had only been vacated that morning, judging by the forage scattered around and other fresh signs; the other three were older, but had been used during the course of the summer. Searched the brush thoroughly, but could find no one. Learned further from Bord that there were plenty of them in the country in small parties ranging from Big Bottom to Bone Hill. Having obtained what information from Bord I could, released him and struck west for Robinson's, in Jackson County; trailed fifteen to that place and followed the trail to eastern edge of Fire Prairie, where I started fifteen in a party and pursued them through the thick brush ten miles in a southerly course, when they scattered and I lost the trail; thence returned northwest, until I struck the eastern edge of Fire Prairie; thence west, and started another party of eight, but at too great a distance to do anything with them. Struck the trail of a large party and followed them four miles to an old bridge across a ravine, where i heard a gun, fired evidently as a signal for them to disperse, as the tracks scattered immediately, and I lost them. This vicinity is evidently full of small parties of them continually passing back and forth. After searching the brush I crossed Fire Prairie to the timber on the Blue, and scouted up the river till I reached Spring Branch Crossing; thence returned to this place, arriving here about 6 p. m. traveling that day about sixty-five miles.

E. W. KINGSBURY,

Captain, Second Colorado Cavalry, Commanding Scout.

Major J. NELSON SMITH,

Commanding Station, Independence, Mo.

AUGUST 15, 1864.-Skirmish at Dripping Spring, Mo.

Report of Captain William Hebard, Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS, Glasgow, Mo., September 1, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that on Monday night, August 15, while in command of a small detachment from the post of this place, MO., my sentinels were attacked at 11 o'clock, 1 mortally wounded, a private named William Neutling, Company F, Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry, and Private J. H. Hall, Company F, severely. The attack was renewed next morning and continued several hours, with an over-whelming force but without any casualties. On Saturday, the 20th, near Rocheport, I met and attacked a force under the notorious bushwhacker William Anderson, defeating him gallantly and driving him