station; Companies I and K, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, from Shawnee Mission and Oxford; Companies F and G, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, from Olathe; Companies B and C, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, from Coldwater Grove and Rockville, and Company L, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, from Camp Clayton. During the day Company F, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, arrived from Potosi; Company B, same Regiment, from this place, making splendid marches, and Company E, same regiiment, from Lawrence, making in all twelve companies, with four mountain howitzers. As it was necessary to communicate, if passible, with Colonel Ford, commanding sub-district of Missouri, where the bushwhackers were reported, I detached Company K, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, Captain Allen commanding, with instructions to proceed to Raytown and deliver my message to Colonel Ford, reporteed there. I may here say, en passant, that at 10 a. m. 15th, it commenced raining, continuing twenty-four hours. Captain Allen returned at 3 a. m. 16th having marched about 36 miles without meeting Colonel Ford, as he had on the 15th marched to Pleasant Hill, Mo., where I determined to join him early the next day. As suggested by the general commanding this district, to insure safety on the border during my absence with the command, the following companies were left: A and D, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, at Aubrey, Captain Kunkel, Eleventh Kansas, commanding; two howitzers with Company A; Company E, eleventh, at Oxford with two howitzers, Captain Walker commanding; Company L, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, at Camp Clayton, Lieutenant Hadley commanding. these companies had instructions to scout thoroughly the country into Missouri. At noon on the 16th, the command marched in two columns as follows: Companies B, C, F, and G, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt, with instructions to join Major Pritchard at Raytown and scour the timber hills of the Blue. (See report of Colonel Hoyt regarding his part of the expedition, herewith inclosed.) Companies B, F, I, and K, of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, under my own command, struck the headwaters of the north fork of Grand River and scoured that country thoroughly, part of the command crossing at Morristown and part some 8 miles below. A portion of the command went through Harrisonville and scouted the timber of Big Creek up to Pleasant Hill, while the other portion went farther north, all arriving at Pleasant Hill by noon, 17th, a distance of about 50 miles. So thoroughly was the country scouted between Pleasant Hill and Kansas, yet without seeing the sing of an enemy, that I am confided no force has been there since growing of grass.

I met Colonel Ford, Second Colorado Cavalry, commanding subdistrict, at Pleasant Hill. My command was warmly received, and their wants promptly attended to. General Brown, commanding district in which we then were, directed Colonel Ford to send me with my command to Hickman Mills, and Colonel Hoyt with his to Little Santa Fe, on the line. Colonel Ford tried to open communication with Colonel Hoyt, but failed, so that he was permitted thereby to give the brush such a raking as it never got before. That night Captain Joy, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, with his company (I), started east to the line of Johnson and Cass Counties, and scouted south as far as east Harrisonville, returning next day up the timber to Hickman Mills. This scout was to prevent a movement of the enemy into Kansas without my knowledge during my absence. Companies F and K, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, marched