forces, and before an escape could be effected two were killed and the party was scattered in every direction. All their horses and equipments were taken, and our men returning to the house finished the breakfast intended for the stampeders. From Williams' the command moved up Richland Creek and a mile distant encountered another squad, supposed to be commanded by Smith in person. Here a short fight took place with a portion of our main force, gallantly led by Major Galloway and Captain Worthington, First Arkansas Cavalry. For some minutes the bushwhackers stood firmly, partly concealed on a thickly wooded bluff, but a charge being ordered by the major they broke and fled over the hill. A mile farther on, near Phillip's Mill, another portion of the column, led by Lieutenant Riggs, Sixth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, met a party of seven, which were quickly dispersed with a loss of one killed. We now proceeded up the creek in the direction of Huntsville in search of a convenient place for foraging, looking well meantime to our flanks and rear. Near Green Gibson's, four miles from Phillips' Mill, our rear was fired upon by what was afterward ascertained to be the advance guard of a force following us, when I ordered a pursuit, which was promptly undertaken by the rear guard, commanded by Captain Hughes, Sixth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, and so vigorously prosecuted that after an exciting chase of a mile or more nothing could be developed but flying bushwhackers. Farther pursuit was useless in the condition of our horses and I ordered a recall. It was now 11 a. m. and neither men nor animals had eaten but little since the night before. I halted at Gibson's, rested, fed, and foraged until p. m., when the column moved eastward, the main body of the bushwhackers being known to be in that direction. Between 2 and 3 p. m., when near Phillips' Mill, we met the train of the First Arkansas Cavalry and learned that it had been fired on near one Andy Smith's, and a horse killed. As this occurred on our route, I pushed forward rapidly, when about 4 p. m. our advance was again fired upon by a party reported to be advantageously posted on a bluff that commanded the highway. It now seemed that more serious fighting was to be done than any that had yet occurred, and I made dispositions accordingly, detaching a strong party under Major Galloway to attack in rear. But these pests of the hills would not stand, and when the brow of the hill was reached they were nowhere to be seen. In this affair Lieutenant Riggs was cut off, and for an hour our apprehensions for his safety were serious. We had no more fighting. The bushwhackers had evidently been surprised, and our movements were such as to prevent a concentration of their forces. At times the bullets rattled like hail through the woods, and if no harm was done our men shot less accurately than usual. Several of the bushwhackers are in fact reported killed, and at one place a wagon is known to have been used to carry off the wounded. We captured 25 horses and mules. From the best information that I could gather, I do not think Smith can rally exceeding 125 men, and generally I believe his command to be much smaller than this. He changes his camping-ground frequently. His men are fed in small squads at different houses, and his horses forage off the country. As a leader he is active and dangerous, and must be proceeded against with great caution, and though his command has been dispersed, and he has acknowledged himself whipped, his final defeat I am convinced is yet to come. I camped at McGuire's Store and returned this morning. Our loss is 2 wounded-1 accidentally, and neither seriously.