until it left road and went into the brush. I sent my advance guard into the brush, who soon returned and reported a camp of guerrillas near. I sent Lieutenant Spencer with 20 men to get in rear of the camp. He found that they had left their camp and started In pursuit. After following them some 2 miles he came upon them in the thick brush and commenced firing upon them.

They ran, he following about 1 mile farther; 2 men of Company G and 1 of Company K left the command running down a road came upon the bushwhackers (10 in number), and supposing them to be our own men rode is among them, when the guerrillas fired upon them, killing Plivate G. Wells, Company K, and his horse, and working Private J. Freestone, Company G. The guerrillas were dressed in Federal uniform and it was almost impossible to tell them from Federals.

Lieutenant Spencer followed until they took a trail made by a scout in the morning of the same day and lost the trail. His horse being completely jaded he could not follow any farther, and he started in search of the command. Night coming on he was obliged to camp without rations of forage, and at daylight went to Snibar Station and report to Lieutenant Colonel T. H. Dodd. With my command I followed Lieutenant S. as fast as possible to the spot where Private Wells [was killed], to effect a junction with Lieutenant S., but did not find him, and camped. The next morning, hearing in the direction of Snibar Station, went there and found that the firing proceeded from the troops at that station discharging their pieces. There I found Colonel Dodd, who ordered me to Lone Jack, Mo. I was joined at that place by Major J. N. Smith with Companies A, B, E, H, and M, Second Colorado Cavalry. In the morning that night at Pleasant Hill, Mo., and the next day (May 2) marched to Harrisonville, Mo., having marched about 140 miles.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. PRITCHARD,

Major, Second Colorado Cavalry.

Lieutenant Colonel THEODORE H. DODD,

Commanding Second Colorado Cavalry.

APRIL 28-MAY 7,, 1864.-Scout from Springfield, Mo., toward Fayetteville, Ark.

Report of Major John Cosgrove, Eight Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

HDQRS. FIRST BATT., EIGHT CAV., MO., STATE MILITIA,
Springfield, Mo., May 7, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 118, headquarters post of Springfield, Mo., dated April 28, 1864, I proceeded with detachments of Companies A, B, C, and K, of the Eight Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, numbering 80 men and 2 commissioned officers, in the direction of Fayetteville, Ark., for the purpose of establishing telegraphic communication with that post. Arriving near Cross Hollows, I met the telegraph with a department of the First Arkansas Cavalry, and received information that communication had been re-established. I them proceeded in the direction of Bentonville, Ark., where a force of about 200 men of the