ing into town). With the other two I moved down below, to cut off their retreat in case they got sight of him first. After arriving at a certain point, at a certain time a signal was to be given by me (the firing of a pistol), upon which the whole command was to dash into town, which done, the result was the killing of Captain Eckells, 5 Confederate soldiers, and the capture of Captain Siddell, Lieutenants Washburn, Owen, Bell, and 16 men, C. S. Army, all their horses, horse equipments and some arms, they managing mostly to throw their arms away. There being snow on the ground it was impossible for us to find them.

At this time the detachment of the Eleventh Missouri, under Captain Kauffman, came in. I ascertained from some of the prisoners captured that Major Snider, C. S. Army, with from 60 to 80 men, was encamped about 8 miles from in the Conditt settlement. I at once placed my prisoners in the most suitable building, leaving as a guard Company A, First Cavalry, Nebraska Volunteers, numbering 32 men, and ordered Captain Kauffman with his command down White River to the crossing of Village Creek used in the morning by them (the means of crossing being only a small raft, the stream unfordable), with instructions to follow up their trail, which could easily be discerned on account of the snow. I then moved out in the direction of the camp with my battalion for the purpose of attacking them, but before reaching that point I got information to the effect that they had notice of our presence and were moving down to the crossing of Village Creek, then occupied by Captain Kauffman.

Moving as rapidly as possible by the shortest route to the road they were on, I struck it just fifteen minutes behind them. Shortly after firing was heard in the front, supposed by me to be the Eleventh Missouri attacking their advance, which was correct. Urging my horses up to full speed, I shortly encountered them, at the same gait, on their retreat from Captain Kauffman..

Upon their discovery of my command they or their advance (they having changed front so suddenly that their rear might properly [be] called their advance) fired one volley. Returning the fire I charged them, they scattering in every direction. At this point my horse was so frenzied with excitement that he became altogether ungovernable carrying me to the left and entirely away from my command into a party of the retreating foe numbering from 15 to 20. Feeling that my own personal safety depended altogether on my own action, I shot 3, which so terrified the rest that several that I heard sangout, "I surrender." I managed to throw myself off my horse and make my way back to the command, a distance of over 1 mile, after which I sent my men in every direction scouring the woods and swamps thoroughly. The result of this attack was the Eleventh Missouri, under Kauffman, killing 2 capturing 3, with their horses and arms; my command killing 3, capturing 3, 1 being mortally and 1 slightly wounded.

I then moved my command back to Jacksonport, arriving at that point at daylight (the 20th). Upon my arrival I was informed that by the use of a pocket knife the prisoners had cut a hole in the floor sufficiently large to crawl through. By this means Colonel Brand, Captain Edwards, Captain McVeigh, Captain Webb, Captain Siddell, Captain ---, Lieutenant Smith, Wylie, Washburn, Owen, Bell, 1 sergeant, and 10 Confederate soldiers had effected their escape, the rest of the prisoners at that time being asleep. I at once ordered