First Arkansas Cavalry was making for a more westerly direction. The First Nebraska Cavalry, and the Sixth Missouri in the mean time had pressed hard toward the same center. A messenger, sent by Lieutenant-Colonel Baumer to the Eighth Missouri State Militia to guide them to him, brought intelligence that Freeman, in attempting to make his way to the Arkansas, with some 400 men, had been intercepted and defeated by the Sixth Missouri and First Nebraska, his train captured and destroyed, and his force scattered and thrown across White River, leaving Love (colonel) and about 200 of those banditti in the hills. This report is confirmed by Captain Human, who had been equally, fortunate in his reconnaissance, and succeeded in capturing several prisoners, among them some of the most bitter rebels in that country-officers of guerrilla bands.

Upon representations made by to Colonel Baumer in a dispatch, the Eight Missouri State Militia remained at Berryville, where one company of the Sixth Missouri State Militia reported on the 29th. The whole force moved immediately, the Missouri troops direct to Lebanon; the Arkansas troops, by a detour to southwest, were to form junction again with them at the same place the next day. Dividing forces again to meet at some point on Marshall or Rolling Prairies, the First and Second Arkansas moved on to Richmond Creek, where Love (captain) had been the night before with 74 men; thence by Point Peter to Cave Creek, through a country excessively reappears. Here about the ruins of the saltpeter-works of the Southern Confederacy, I remained in camp one day. I moved then across the Judea Mountains, Big Creek, and Buffalo River, beyond Jasper, on Hudson's Fork, 6 miles, and from there to Ewing's farm, in the neighborhood of Bellefonte. The first Arkansas had passed by another road from Richland toward the point of concentration.

On the 4th of February, from my camp at Ewing's, I started with Company C, of my command, re-enforced by few men of other companies, to meet Galloway's command, or ascertain his whereabouts, and return the next day at the camp of my command on Crooked Creek, where I ordered it. I returned only on the 7th. in the mean time we had engagements on the praire (Rolling) with the guerrillas. They are generally from this State and fight desperately. At various places my command alone killed 15 or 20 and wounded James A. Melton, who accompanied me, was slightly wounded in the left arm.

On my return, hearing of General Holland being encamped a few miles below, I repaired to his headquarters. My regiment was divided. Upon my representations, General Holland ordered it to unite at Barber's, north of Rolling Prairie, and protect the emigrants' train against all attempts of guerrillas and escort it through to Missouri. This has been done. The train (upward of 100 wagons), fired upon on Osage Creek, arrived safe at Berryville on the 13th instant, and from there was properly escorted to Galena by a company of my regiment. Serviceable property captured by my regiment in this expedition has all been branded, and memorandum taken of it. To facilitate accounts other property will be turned over or accounted for at Springfield.

The importance of the expedition cannot as yet be well defined; the results alone will show it. There is but little doubt that with all the forces enumerated in my report, had time been given to the enemy to concentrate, they would have been ready for any roving