posted in the town during the night previous and had left at daylight; also that a small picket left the town as I occupied it. I found but very few citizens in the streets, and they all women and children, but as soon as they learned that Federals occupied the town what few male citizens there were left commenced crawling out of their holes, and the citizens generally commenced swarming around us, some in tears, some in smiles, and some in rags, and generally appeared much rejoiced at our arrival, and offered us the hospitalities of the town, inviting us to their homes, and acted as if they felt that they could not do too much for us. I immediately posted a strong picket about the town and sent out scouts in different directions, as I had learned that a force of from 500 to 700 Confederates had been in camp only six miles from town that a.m. at daylight, intending if such a force was there, if not too strongly posted, to make them show their hands or else throw up ours. My scouts proceeded in a south and southeasterly direction a distance of nine miles and found no force except a picket of the enemy six miles from town, which the scouts fired upon, killing 1 and wounding 2. I learned that quite a large force of the enemy had been at Dover, a distance of eight miles, but that the pickets had been driven in from Lexington by the Federal troops and reported them in large force there, and more coming, and that the Confederates had got up and skedaddled. I also learned in Lexington (from what I consider pretty reliable authority) that a force from 2,000 to 3,000 strong (said to be Shelby's force, and commanded by General Fagan, C. S. Army) was down the river at Waverly.

The citizens of Lexington have had a reign of terror, both loyal people, McClellan people, and rebels. The enemy have plundered and robbed indiscriminately, taking everything of value that they could carry away, and have left many poor families very destitute. I captured 30 double-barrelled shotguns brought by the enemy to Lexington to arm their conscripts with; also 1,000 rounds of ammunition, all of which I destroyed, as I had no transportation to carry them away. I sent a dispatch to Captain Eads, First Missouri State Militia, who I learned was at Richmond, across the river, and who was in command at Lexington with his company and two full companies of citizen guards at the time that it was evacuated, advising to return, which he did just as my rear guard were leaving town, I being well satisfied that he could hold the place if he chose to. I left the place with my command at about 4 o'clock (being out of rations), the citizens pleading with me to stay, and telling me that they would feed my whole command as long as I chose to or could stay there. I returned eighteen miles by same route on which I went in and went into camp, it being now dark. Just before going into camp my advance ran onto six mounted men, what I supposed to be the enemy's (bushwhackers) pickets, and who after getting into the brush some distance discharged two shots, probably signals for the force to which they belonged. It being quite dark, my command and their horses being tired and worn out, I did not think it advisable to pursue them. I here had my telegraph operator tap the wire so that I might communicate with you, but he reported that he could get no circuit and I had to abandon it. Hearing that a force of from 75 to 100 bushwhackers had passed south of us just before we went into camp, I sent Captain Greene with his company (E) and Companies G and L, Second Colorado Cavalry, this a.m. just before daylight to see if he could find their whereabouts, and if so give them a turn. His (Captain Greene's) report*

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*Not found.

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