Numbers 2. Reports of Colonel charles w. Blair, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanding brigade.

FORT SCOTT, KANS., May 17, 1864.

My troops followed the bushwhackers 50 miles, by which time they had all scattered each in his own direction, and further pursuit was useless. We killed 5 and wounded quite a number, having but 2 of our own men wounded. They were pushed so hard that I don't think the same party will make a similar attempt soon. Great credit is due to my adjutant, Lieutenant W. H. Hewett, who accompanied the pursuing party, and Captains Hurd and North, for the promptness, vigor, and efficiency of the pursuit. The troops were in march in fifteen minutes after I received the news. They are now on their return.

CHAS. W. BLAIR,

Colonel, Commanding First Brigade.

Brigadier General T. J. McKEAN.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN KANSAS,
Fort Scott, Kans., May 16, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform you, for the information of the commanding general, that last night a raid was made upon Drywood, south and southeast of this, by about 60 guerrillas, under one Captain Henry Taylor, formerly sheriff of Vernon Country, Mo., of which I have briefly notified the general by telegraph. The outpost of Morris' Mills, held by Company C, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, is reduced to less than 20 men, by the absence of the major portion of the same on furlough as veteran volunteers, so that cannot have the same facilities for acquiring early information of the enemy's movements which they had formerly. Notwithstanding this, they learned of the raid soon after the first house was plundered, and supposing it to be a small party, but 5 men were sent out in pursuit. It was easy enough to follow the track by the plundered horses, all of which they had despoiled of everything, in all cases taking the men prisoners and carrying them along with the party. By the time reached the house of Mr. Ury, 12 miles southeast of this, they had 8 prisoners. Young Ury was formerly a scout in my employ, and they had a particular spite against him. At this place they got 3 more prisoners, the two Urys and a young man named Williams, and about $600 in money. They had discussed the propriety of killing the prisoners on the spot, but finally determined to take them off some distance first, to be sure they were safe.

Of the 5 men of Company C who had started in pursuit, 2 had gone back to camp to notify the others of the extent of the force, and the other 3 came up just as the bushwhackers were coming out of mr. Ury's gate their prisoners; without pausing a moment these 3 men dashed gallantly forward until 20 paces of the whole company, firing as rapidly as possible, and causing such as excitement among the enemy that the diversion allowed all, the prisoners to escape, ury, the scout, knocking down one of the rebels who stood next to him with a stick of wood he had hastily gathered from a pile