A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, writing from Cassville, Mo., under date of March 2, gives the following incidents of the chase after Price, which terminated in such a glorious victory:

"To-day the Benton Hussars went out on a scout in the neighborhood of Bentonville.  One of their number strayed from this company, and was afterward found in a privy, his head mashed with stones and his body disfigured.  Some whisky was found in the place, and the boys proceeded to imbibe.  Before morning, one Captain and several privates died of poisoning, while one Major, two Captains, and about forty men, narrowly escaped the same fate, and have been rendered unfit for service, for how long no one can tell.   These are our enemies -- cut-throats, assassins, spies, robbers and poisoners -- and how many commisioned officers, think ye, good people of the United States, are being Court-Martialed, because they permitted fire to cleanse the sins of these cowardly brutes in twenty-five dwellings in Bentonville?  Is there a man who reads this dare say he would not have had revenge under like cause of provocation?

Saturday evening a part of the army moved three miles further on, and encamped near the Cross Hollows, while on Sunday morning three thousand cavalry took possession of Fayetteville, which PRICE had left the day before, burning all the stores which he could not transport, and all buildings which could be available to our army.  Report says he has retired to Boston Mountain, an inaccessible position a few miles to the southward.  Up to Sunday morning, no very serious disasters had occurred in our rear, though one messenger and several straggling soldiers, on their way to join the army, were reported missing, and there was a general feeling of insecuirty in regard to our position, it being well knewn that Gen. McBRIDE, with large numbers of Missouri rebels, had left PRICE at the Arkansas line, refusing to follow him in his Dixie hegira.  How well founded were these misgivings, remains to be seen.

On Sunday, the 25th, I came as far as Keatsville, on the route toward Springfield, in company with Capt. SHERIDAN, U.S.A., and Capt. SWITZLER.  Capt. MONTGOMERY, of Wright's Battalion, of whom you have all heard, escorted Capt. SHERIDAN'S commissary train (returning empty from the army) as far as Keatsville, where he encamped near us, and had others to remain in command of the town for the purpose of keeping marauders in subjection and affording protection to subsistence trains.  That night three of his best horses and two belonging to the citizens were stolen.  On Monday I stopped at Cassville, eight miles further on, to remain a few days.  During the day, Tuesday, Capt. LAMBIER, of the Thirteenth Illinois, passed through with a subsistence train of sixty-two heavily loaded wagons and an escort of seventy men, and encamped about three miles east of Keatsville.  Another train of twenty-four empty wagons coming East, encamped about the same time just on the west side of Keatsville.  Lieut.-Col. HOLLAND informed me that four home guards had been fired upon from the bushes on Sunday; that one was killed, two mortally and the other slightly wounded; that he believed the woods were full of straggling rebels who had refused to follow the main army into Dixie, but that he attached no great importance to them, and believed they were too cowardly to fire upon even a small body of well-armed men.  He had been informed that PRICE had stored at the Newtonia Mill, twenty-five miles north of this place 500 sacks of flour which he had caused to be manufactured expressly for his army, but in his head long retreat had been unable to take them along.  On Tuesday morning Col. HOLLAND sent Lieut. MOORE with two wagons, all he could raise, and an escort of about fifty men, with orders to seize on the flour, and wagons and teams enough to transport it to Cassville. At the Gadfly Mill, ten miles out, which the Government is running for the army at present -- one of the teams was loaded with 3,000 pounds of flour and returned.

On Tuesday evening we were aroused by Col. HOLLAND about midnight, with the intelligence that a messenger had just come in stating that MONTGOMERY had been surprised and completely routed by 850 Texan Rangers, at Keatsville; that probably both trains were in the hands of the enemy, who would no doubt attack Cassville before morning.  Dressing hastily, we mustered together about 25 soldiers and 23 Home Guards, and placed them behind a hastily-constructed barricade, so as to obtain a cross fire at any angle in the road west of town, where we awaited them till morning.  At about 1 o'clock A.M., we heard the rumbling of wagons, and soon Capt. LAMBIER'S teams, one by one, came rushing by our little band with their heavy loads, till before day light all but three had passed our lines.  Soon MONTGOMERY'S men began to drop in on foot and finally the Captain himself came up.  His statement is, that he had not been able to obtain the slightest intimation that there was any rebel force in the neighborhood, until the attack was made; that his position, numerical strength and condition must have been accurately pointed out to the enemy by the inhabitants; that about 10 P.M., on Tuesday, several men were ordered to halt by his pickets, who, in reply to the usual challenge, said "Friends," but did not stop advancing; whereupon, after the forth challenge, they were fired upon by the pickets.  This was the signal for the onslaught, and the wretches came pouring out by hundreds from the bush, killing two men, wounding another and capturing a fourth; then rushing immediately to the house where MONTGOMERY'S men were quartered, they fired upon the house volley after volley in quick succession.  In the darkness and confusion, our men could not rally, and dared not reply to this destructive fire; not being able to distinguish friend from foe.  Names of men and company were several times called by the rebels, which lured some of our boys into an attempt to rally that had well nigh proved their destruction.  This fact alone shows how completely must have been the information conveyed against us.  About 10 A.M., on Wednesday, Surgeon DUNHAM, of Wright's Battalion, came in from Keatsville, where he had stayed, in hope of saving the wounded men.  He stated that the enemy were about 850 strong, were armed with carbines and sabers, and were a portion of Col YOUNG'S Texan Rangers sent back to harass the Union inhabitants, and cut off our trains.  They boasted to our citizens that they had burned one already, and should serve Capt. LAMBIER'S in the same manner next morning.  Capt. MONTGOMERY lost seventy horses in this affray, which were cut loose and sent adrift.  During the forenoon of Wednesday the remainder of Capt. LAMBIER'S train came up, also sixteen of the empty wagons from beyond Keatsville, and MONTGOMERY'S dismounted cavalry returned to the town and found most of their blankets and stores, which seem to have been singularly overlooked by the rebels.  The result is eight empty Government wagons burned, about fifty mules and seventy horses missing, two men killed, one wounded and one missing; two sutler's wagons with their loads burned, and one sutler of the Eighteenth Indiana Regiment a prisoner.

Expecting an attack on Cassville Wednesday night, Col. HOLLAND sent messengers both east and west for assistance.  The provision trains were put in corral about the Courthouse square; barricades were built of rails across all avenues of approach south and west of the town, and instructions given to our little band of 130 men, that in case they could not hold the barricades, they should burn the buildings, and retire to the brick Court-house, where they must conquer or die.  In the afternoon a messenger from Springfield brought information that Lieut. SEAY, of the Twenty-fifth Missouri, would be in Cassville in the morning with 56 men.  Two teams were immediately dispatched to assist them, and at 8 P.M. our hearts were cheered with the sight of the first reinforcements.  While we were shaking hands and congratulating each other on our good luck, the sound of cavalry rushing up at full gallop from the south caused the street to be cleared in an instant, and every man was in protected position, with musket and rifle ready to receive the supposed enemy; but what a shout went up towards the stars when the intelligence burst upon the watch-worn soldiers that Col. ELLIS had come with a reinforcement of 600 cavalry, -- and how securely did we lie down to rest that night, after strong mounted pickets and double guards had been placed around us, none but a soldier who has seen and heard and felt can know.

Thursday morning, Col. WRIGHT came up to reinforce us, and Col. ELLIS returned to the army, escorting the train of Government stores.

In the evening Lieut. MOORE and command came in from Newtonia with 40,000 pounds of PRICE'S flour and 2,000 pounds of his salt, leaving nearly as much more in a place where we shall be sure to get it in a day or two.

Great credit is due to Lieut.-Col. HOLLAND, commanding this post, for the promptness and good judgment which he has displayed, and which has resulted in the success of this expedition, surrounded, as I know it to have been, by immense dangers and difficulties.  I close by the assertion that our Government will have to station strong cavalry forces at all important points, (if they intend to hold Southwest Missouri,) to keep in subjection jayhawking rebels, who are as thick as mosquitoes in July on the Mississippi; and who, during the day, are "good Union men, and in favor of the old Constitution, and have never done nuthin agin neither side," and all such hypocritical gab, but in the night are ready to burn your dwelling, shoot you in your sleep, and plunder your cellars, barns and fields.

SOURCE:  New York Times, March 16, 1862.  Scott Carson brought this item to my attention.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTHWEST,
Camp Halleck, Ark., March 4, 1862.

Col. CLARK WRIGHT:

COLONEL:  You were sent to re-enforce Captain Montgomery at Keetsville, and drive the enemy that assailed him.  You are not to command at Cassville.  Take care of the enemy in the vicinity of Keetsville, and see that the trains are not interrupted.  If you have scouts with you who know the country in front send them here, where I am much nearer the foe.

There is a great set of rogues about Keetsville, and I hope you will find and arrest and send back the most of them.  March and follow up any force that offers to come within 20 miles of the road.  The parties are small, as that was that attacked Captain Montgomery.

SAML. R. CURTIS,
Brigadier-General, Commanding

SOURCE:  OR, Series I, Volume 8, Page 589.

Head Quarters Post at Cassville Mo.
March 11th 62

Brig Gen. S. R. Curtis,
Commanding S. W. A r m y

Sir,

The disaster which Capt. Montgomery (Co. C, 6th Mo Cav) met with at Keatsville on the night of Feb 25th his mind has become so embittered against all the inhabitants of this section that I have become thoroughly impressed with the feeling that his presence here is rather detrimental than advantageous to our cause.  He abuses all citizens indiscriminately calling them secesh & "dam butternut sons of bitches" to their faces; that they informed against him at Keatsville; that every man who will not join our army is a black hearted scoundrel; that if anyone else turns any of them loose he will not; he has the men that know how to serve them & they will do it too no matter who commands to the contrary; that any man who gives any of them or their families or property protection is no better than they and much more to the like purpose.

My feeling is that he & his men are doing us much injury by their loud talk here among my command and their abuse of peaceable citizens; that he is instilling a mutinous and vindictive feeling into the minds of the men and that in order to preserve harmony and render successful my policies here he should be removed to some other post.  I know him to be a brave soldier and faithful to our flag & where there is fighting to be done no better man ever drew a saber.

My policy has been to treat the citizens with kindness and endeavor there by to eradicate from their minds the false notions which have been instilled there in regard to the policy of our government, and while I would exercise the strictest caution and vigilance in times like these to allow no person to pass our lines who is to be regarded with suspicion.  I would still desire to protect all loyal citizens in the enjoyment of all their rights and show to prisoners that civility which is always the mark of a true man whether in war or peace.

I shall forward Capt. Montgomery as an escort to the first train when his services are needed which will probably be tomorrow and my request is that he may be retained by you for some other service and that you will send me another company of cavalry in place of his for the protection of this post.

I am sir,
Yours Very Respectfully,

Lieut Col C.B. Holland,
Commanding Post

SOURCE:  Compiled Service Record of Major Samuel Montgomery, 6th MO Cavalry (Union), National Archives.  Scott Carson brought this item to my attention.

DES ARC, ARK., April 14, 1862.

GENERAL:  In this report of the part taken by the troops under my command in the late action at Elkhorn, to do them justice for their services, I must detail the events of a few days preceding the engagement:

On February 17, while in winter quarters, I received orders to march with dispatch through Fayetteville in the direction of the enemy.  In six hours my men were in the saddle, train en route, ammunition distributed, and the march begun.  I made 20 miles the same day and encamped on the north side of Boston Mountains.

At daylight the following morning the troops were on the move.  Receiving orders during the day urging me forward, I hastened, fed my stock by the road-side and made a march of 54 miles to Cross Hollow, where we arrived at 10 p. m., through continuous rain and sleet and Egyptian darkness.

Next morning I was detailed to destroy the winter quarters in the vicinity of Cross Hollow and to bring up and protect the rear of the army, which was then falling back on Boston Mountains.  As the thick, curling volumes of smoke and lurid glare of flame arose from Camp Benjamin my troops doggedly turned to the duty of rear guard for the army, and maintained this position until we were encamped upon the mountain.

Maj. L. S. Ross, of my command, was then called for to take a scouting party in rear of the enemy and cut off his train and annoy his rear.  This duty was most gallantly performed by attacking a portion of the enemy�s army at Keetsville, killing 25 of his number, capturing 9, and destroying much of his train and commissary supplies.  The major returned with wearied, conquering heroes from the field without the loss of a man, although he met the very blaze of their guns only a few feet distant.  I cannot too highly estimate the chivalry and gallantry of this intrepid, daring knight, nor too highly appreciate the prudence and administrative ability of this officer,who, although but a boy, has won imperishable honors as an officer in the border warfare of Texas on repeated occasions, meeting, as he has now done, the full appreciation and admiration of our executive, and securing his fullest confidence.  It is with pride that I thus bear testimony to the distinguished merits of my brave major, L. S. Ross.

[For the balance of Colonel Stone's report on the battle of Pea Ridge, see the OR, Series I, Volume 8, pages 303-304.]

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. WARREN STONE,
Colonel Sixth Texas Cavalry

SOURCE:  OR, Series I, Volume 8, Pages 302-304.

A mounted Texan regiment, eluding the vigilance of patrols, gained the rear of our army, and on the night of the 25th of February attacked the post at Keitsville, which was garrisoned by a squadron of the 1st Missouri Cavalry under the command of Capt. Montgomery.  It was a complete surprise.  But one or two pickets were out, and they were stationed at points too far distant to give the alarm.  The first intimation of the presence of a hostile force in their midst, was the loud report of musketry and the crash of balls, as volley after volley was poured into the buildings among the sleeping men.  A half dozen were killed and a number wounded at the first discharge.  The men, thus suddenly aroused from their slumbers, hastily seized their arms, and, without waiting to clothe themselves, returned the enemy's fire.  The night was dark, and the position of the contending parties could be determined only by the flash of fire arms.  Montgomery, finding the avenues of escape cut off, fought bravely and with telling effect, and a number of the Texans were made to bite the dust.  The first panic over, the troopers, from sheltered positions within the buildings, saluted the enemy with so galling a fire that they finally withdrew, taking with them seventy of Montgomery's horses.

His command was badly demoralized and as soon as the enemy departed and the way was clear, those who had horses hastily mounted them and made all speed for safer quarters; others, trusting to the agility of the natural man, made their way on foot.  All night long the panting fugitives came trooping into Cassville, singly or by twos, without hats or coats and many without shoes.  A commissary train on its way to Sugar Creek was encamped for the night within a mile of Keitsville.  They were aroused by the heavy discharges of musketry, and hastily harnessing their teams to the wagons, went thundering over the rocky road to Cassville.

SOURCE:  L. G. Bennett and William M. Haigh, History of the Thirty-Sixth Illinois Volunteers, During the War of the Rebellion (1876), pages 123-124.

After the Montgomery affair at Keetsville, the Captain found himself at Cassville minus his shirt.  Next day he rested at old Mrs. Walker's house, and the old lady, filled with joy at the news of old Montgomery's defeat, could not resist giving expression to this joy even in the presence of strangers.  On this occasion she opened the conversation thus:  "I hear old Montgomery had a close call at Keetsville, but I'm sorry they did not kill him."  "So," said the Captain, "how did you hear this?"  "Oh," said the old lady, "the woods are full of the Federals, and they haven't sense enough to hold their tongues, but I wanted to hear that old Capt. Montgomery was killed.  I did."  "Well," said the Captain, "I'm old Montgomery."  "Well," said the old lady, "I have nothing to take back."