HEADQUARTERS COMPANY M, FIRST CAVALRY, M. S. M.,
Hall's Mill, March 21, 1864.

Colonel JAMES McFERRAN,

First Cav., M. S. M., Commanding 3rd Sub-Dist.,

Warrensburg, Mo.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report to you that on last Saturday morning, about 6 a.m., I left my company headquarters with what available force I had, numbering 25 (being all I had in camp but a small guard, in accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 64, dated headquarters Third Sub-District, Warrensburg, Mo., March 18, 1864), and arrived in Greenton about 10 a.m., and after remaining at the town a short time we scouted the country generally, and up to 4 p.m. I had not been able to hear anything from Major Mullins; after which I moved my command into Texas Prairie, and scouted that most thoroughly, and still could learn nothing of Major Mullins.

I proceeded west to near the Jackson County line, and camped for the night in 1 1/2 miles of the bridge on the Big Sni, about 7 miles from Napoleon, in Jackson County, Mo. On Sunday morning I scouted the Texas Prairie, and returned to Greenton Valley and made diligent inquiry for the major and could not hear or learn anything of his whereabouts.

I traversed the entire length, or nearly so, of the Greenton Valley, and likewise of Texas Prairie. I found no friends and no rebels in arms, and I did not know what to do, only to return to camp and await further orders, as I had hunted diligently two days for the officer to whom I was to report for duty and was unable to find him or his command.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES D. EADS,

Captain Co. M, First Cavalry, Missouri State Mil.

HDQRS. COMPANY M, FIRST CAVALRY, M. S. M.,
Hall's Mill, Mo., March 21, 1864.

Colonel JAMES McFERRAN,

First Cavalry, M. S. M., Commanding 3rd Sub-Dist., Warrensburg, Mo.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I have had out fourteen scouts and one escort to Warrensburg, with wagons for rations, since my last report on the 10th instant. We have scouted over the north part of Johnson County, Greenton Valley, and Texas Prairie, in La Fayette County, and traveled in the aggregate 3,235 miles, making it equal to about 42 miles per day for the whole company. I find several old camps where bushwhackers have been, and some late camp signs, but all of them are small, not more than from 3 to 7 at any one place. We judge the number by the way they feed their horses and the signs they make.

I do not think there is any large body of bushwhackers in this part of the country, but I fee very confident that there are several small squads which pass through frequently and perhaps stop a short time in the brush on Black Water. We have not been close enough to any bushwhackers to fire upon them, nor do we know certainly that the men have seen any since they have been stationed here. The country over which we travel is very quiet at this time and the