sent through the hills south the main road. Three armed guerrillas were killed and about 10 prisoners taken. At 1 p. m. the whole command forded White River to attack the rebel force them at Sylamore, 7 miles distant from Mount Olive. The advance guard charged into Sylamore, driving the rebels out, whole fired into our forces very steep and high hills. Three companies dismounted and advanced as skirmishers, killing and wounding several rebels and driving them from the hill. In the first attack Sergeant Millen, Company G, First Nebraska Cavalry, was shot in the upper part of the right leg and placed in a house where he was left. The whole command again mounted and pursued the flying rebels for about 5 miles. I then moved forward toward Riggsville to meet the command of the Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, expected to co-operate with the force under my command, and encamped about 9 miles south of Sylamore, where forage was obtained for the animals. The distance marched that day was 30 miles, over a very rocky and hilly road.

At 3 a. m., January 26, I started the whole force back to Sylamore expecting that the rebels had gathered there again. I sent skirmishers on foot over the hills, and found that the rebels had not come in. From some information received I learned that Freeman had his whole force encamped near a mill on North Sylamore River, and sent Companies D and I, under command of Captain Potts, as a reconnoitering party to the mill. They were fired upon several times from the hills when passing but without receding any harm. Freeman was encamped there before but had moved his camp to a mill on the Middle Sylamore, about 14 miles from the mouth of the creek and town of Sylamore. The two companies fed their horses and took their breakfast at the mill and returned to the command at 12 m., bringing some prisoners with them and reporting that the mill had cough fire and was burned down. The remainder of the command had in the mean time rested in town. During the absence f the reconnoitering party some bandits were seen on the top of the hills observing our movements. Some men of the First Nebraska and some of the Sixth Missouri, State Militia asked permission to ascend the which I granted, ordering them, however to remain within hearing distance of the bugles. They came back with 2 captured U. S. horses and saddles, and a cavalry and a cavalry uniform taken from one of the men who worn it. There were 4 dead bodies left on the hill; on once of them was found a recruiting commission as Captain Evans, given by Colonel Freeman. None of our men were hurt. At 1.30 p.m., after I had sent the wounded sergeant in a flat-boat down the river, escorted by 3 citizens taken as prisoners the command moved out to the Burrowsville and Batesville road to attack Freeman's camp early the next morning. Marched 13 miles and camped near the Blue Mountains (having marched that day a distance of 32 miles), and were then only 6 miles distant from the rebel camp. there was a rumor in the neighborhood that Freeman had over 1,000 men, and would attack us during the night. The whole command was formed in order of battle on a favorable ground for a cavalry fight. The pickets were carefully posted, and every man rested on his arms to be ready at moment's warning. Nothing occurred that night and the column moved at 5.30 o'clock, January 27. After advancing nearly 6 miles the advantage guard came upon a rebel picket of 10 men, of whom 7 were captured and 2 killed;

5 R R-VOL XXXIV, PT I