Numbers 97. Report of Captain Benjamin S. Johnson, Third Missouri Cavalry.

CAMP ON RED RIVER, ARK.,

December 21, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this regiment in the action of the 23rd October at Big Blue River:

I assumed command of the regiment the evening of the 22nd of October, Colonel Greene being disabled from injuries received at the battle of Little Blue on the 21st of October. I was ordered to form the regiment at sunrise on the bank of Big Blue River as infantry. After being in position about half an hour the enemy appeared in sight and opened fire on us from small-arms, compelling us, owing to the formation of the creek, to leave our position, they being enabled to fire on us from the right flank and rear. We fell back one mile and a half in good order to a skirt of timber at the edge of a small prairie, and were ordered to form to support Pratt's artillery. The enemy appeared in sight and opened heavily on us. We replied, compelling them to fall back to the shelter of some houses on the prairie. They again advanced at a charge to take our battery. We opened fire on them while Company G, under the command of First Sergeant Woolsey, dashed gallantry forward and hauled the guns off by hand, the balance of the regiment keeping a steady fire upon the enemy. We remained in our position until every gun was discharged and every cartridge expended. Ordered by General Clark to fall back to our horses, which we did in good order.

Our loss was 3 killed and 7 wounded.

The whole regiment acted very gallantry. Particular praise is due to Sergeant Woolsey, of Company G, for his gallant conduct.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. S. JOHNSON,

Captain, Commanding Regiment.

Major F. S. ROBERTSON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Marmaduke's Brigade.

Numbers 98. Report of Colonel John Q. Burbridge, Fourth Missouri Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH MISSOURI CAVALRY,
December 8, 1864.

MAJOR: I herewith submit report of the part my regiment took in the late campaign in Missouri. Such a report must necessarily be very imperfect and in some instances incorrect, since all records from which information could be drawn were lost:

On the 29th of August the regiment, in conjunction with the brigade, left Princeton, crossing Arkansas River on the 10th proximo, traveling from thence in a northeasterly direction, and entering Missouri in its southeastern portion near Pocahontas. No opposition was offered to our march until our arrival at Pilot Knob, a place strong by nature and rendered almost impregnable by art. An assault being determined upon my regiment occupied the extreme left, charging down a steep, bald mountain, exposed to a galling and destructive fire of artillery and musketry. The regiment gained a position about a hundred yards beyond the foot of the mountain in a bed of a creek, the banks of