I encamped at Rolling's farm, 30 miles beyond, on the edge of Rolling Prairie. There I was joined by 34 men of Companies A and B, swelling my force to 200. Company C (Lieutenant Orr), sent as flankers, on that had surprised at Baileys a guerrilla chief on Crooked Creek and 3 desperadoes of his gang; 2 of these were shot dead the third left for dead on the spot. Early the morning of the 22nd, I joined Captain Human, and Captain Galloway shortly after arrived. Human's pickets had been annoyed all night by the rebels. Command being waived by Captain Human and myself, it necessarily devolved upon Captain Galloway. After consultation it was decided that the whole force would move at once on the road to Burowsville, the Missouri troops lading the advance. About midday a party of some 50 or 60 guerrillas was met and dispersed after a short musketry and the firing of the First Arkansas Cavalry's mountain piece. Pursuit followed over a mountainous and ragged country to a place called Tomahawk, well calculated for a stand. The road sins precipitously from a high hill into a cavity, where a column exposes its front and flanks to any force in front, and runs between high cliffs in a pass too narrow to admit of a successful passage and where the retreat or advance of a troops once engaged in the gap would be almost impossible against force a that meant to hold the position. A party, ascertained since to amount to some 170 men, held the position and attempted to defend it. They were compelled to yield, with a loss of 2 dead and 4 wounded. No Federals injured.

My regiment being placed in front immediately after the engagement I retained my position the next day. From all information gathered through the country it was understood that the rebels would make a desperate stand at a place on Bear Creek called Rock Fence, an obstruction of that description running across the narrow valley. Dispositions were made for any emergency. The position however, was not defended, and the united forces passed on to Lebanon, 4 bushwhackers only showing their heads from the summit of the high cliffs and beyond the reach of our arms. From Lebanon we made Burrowsville the same day, four shots only being exchanged by the rear of the column and the bushwhackers, 23rd January. At Burrowsville no reliable information could be collected, either about the number of the rebels or their whereabouts; whether they had, or were, concentrated or divided or who were their commanders. News, however, was received of an encounter between bushinwhackers and a party of Federals, 25 in number, carrying dispatches to our forces, and in which this trop was badly cut up. The report proved only too true. The unfortunates belonged to the Eleventh Missouri Volunteers. Detachments were sent in all directions to scour the country. They did if for miles, and nothing was found. Captain Human, on the 25th at dusk moved with 150 or 160 men of original command toward Clinton, 20 miles south-southeast. Captain Galloway and 50 men returned to Lebanon on the 26th. The same day Company K, Eighth Missouri State Militia, arrived without any serious difficulty. Information also was brought of the rebels having collected in our rear and moved upon Berryville. No enemy near us.

Witt (rebel) has crossed the river Arkansas with 300 men; so Major Van Houten, Third Arkansas Cavalry, reports. He has with him 600 men; has seen Witt across the river; has been in Clinton, and scored the country south of the Boston Mountains. Passing through Burrowsville the Third Arkansas made Wiley's Cave, while the