CIVIL WAR MISSOURI, NOVEMBER 11-21, 1864, SCOUT FROM CASSVILLE TO HUNTSVILLE & YELLVILLE, ARKANSAS
 
 
NOVEMBER 11-21,1864
SCOUT FROM CASSVILLE TO HUNTSVILLE & YELLVILLE, ARKANSAS

Report of Lt. Col. Hugh Cameron, Second Arkansas Cavalry (Union), to Brig. Gen. John B. Sanborn, Commanding District of Southwest Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., November 22, 1864.

GENERAL:  I have the honor to report that in obedience to Special Orders, No. 2, dated headquarters Cavalry Brigade, in the field, Cassville, Mo., November 11, 1864, I left Cassville, Mo., November 11, 1864, about noon, with 160 men of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, and reached Berryville, Ark., on the 12th.  Here my advance encountered Major Lauderdale; fired upon and wounded him, killing his horse.  Lieutenant Gipson, commanding the advance, ordered Corpl. Robert J. Foster, Company A, Second Arkansas Cavalry, to take charge of said Major Lauderdale and convey him to the commanding officer.  This order Corporal Foster did not execute; but leaving the prisoner at Mrs. Hellman�s house without guard, permitted him to escape.  Major Lauderdale was at Berryville for the purpose of collecting stragglers and hastening them forward to their respective commands.  On the morning of the 13th I sent forward my transportation in charge of sixty men, commanded by Captain Roberts, direct to Carleton, Ark., and moved in person with the remainder of my command up Osage Creek in pursuit of Lieutenant-Colonel Fullbright and Major Harrell, who I was informed were encamped on Dry Fork.  These officers had left just in time to be out of my reach, having gone in the direction of Kingston and Huntsville to join the forces under Colonel Hunter and Major Brown.  I took five of these stragglers prisoners, left 2 severely wounded, captured 43 horses and horse equipments and 2 mules.

On the 14th., at 3 a. m., I moved with the main body of my command in the direction of Jasper, Searcy County, Ark., sending a detachment of twenty-five men under command of Lieutenant Smith up Crooked Creek with orders to approach as near Yellville as possible to learn what he could of the presence, strength, and position of any rebel force, and report to me at Lebanon, Searcy County, on the 17th, if not prevented by superior force.  He proceeded as far as Clipper�s Mills.  Finding the rebels too numerous to go farther, he returned, bringing with him six prisoners and the same number of horses and horse equipments.  My advance fired upon Lieut. John Dearing, of Cissell�s company, near Hudson�s Mills, but did not succeed in taking him.

On the morning of the 15th I returned directly to Crooked Creek and marched up said creek as far as Clear Creek.  Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols, commanding Jackman�s regiment, was met by my scouts on the edge of Rolling Prairie, and closely pursued for two or three miles, but effected an escape.  His camp is reported to be on Marshall Prairie. One prisoner was taken.

On the 16th at about 8 o�clock I moved on Yellville with 100 men.  Encountered a small force of Schnable�s regiment, killed 2, took 9 prisoners, and captured 7 horses and equipments.  Lieutenant Hastings, Schnable�s regiment, was among the killed.  At 8 p. m. I moved in the direction of Talbot�s Ferry, intending to cross White River before the rebels would have time to concentrate.  Having completed about one-half of my intended night march, my rear was fired upon by a party of bushwhackers, which occasioned some delay.  One U. S. horse was crippled.  The injury done to the bushwhackers is unknown.  I effected the crossing of the river by daylight of the morning of the 17th without loss or accident and continued the march as far as Colonel Cayces�, capturing 7 prisoners, among themn Major Mooney, of Schnable�s regiment, and 5 horses and equipments.

On the 18th I marched to Little North Fork.  Three prisoners escaped from the guard, Captain Bowlin, Company L, and Lieutenant Hankins, Company D, having charge of said prisoners and guard.

On the 19th I moved to Beaver Creek amid on the 20th to Swan Creek, where 1 prisoner was permitted to escape, Captain Millsaps, Company E, and Lieutenant Smith, Company L, having charge of said prisoner.

On the 21st, at about 3 p. m., I reached Springfield with my entire command, having lost only two U. S. horses amid having completed a march of about 400 miles in about ten days.  I brought in 22 prisoners, 19 horses, 5 mules, 7 revolvers, 4 McClellan saddles, about $600 of Confederate scrip and $3.45 U. S. money; also several citizens� saddles, a large variety of arms, including several fine shotguns, with an assortment of blankets and clothing marked U. S.  About ten bushels of salt was captured on the trip.  From pretty reliable sources I learned that three brigades parted from Price�s army at Pineville, Mo., and moved in the direction of Batesville, Ark. - Freeman�s, Shelby�s, and McCray�s.  These commands are scattered from Marshall Prairie to Batesville, the object being to consume the forage and abandon the country north of the Arkansas River.  Colonel Hunter and Majors Brown and Harrell, with about 2,000 men, are supposed to be in and about Kingston and Huntsville.  Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols, with about 600 of Jackman�s regiment, on Marshall Prairie; Colonel Schnable, with about 500 of his own regiment, at and about Yellville, and General Rains, with the Missouri State Guard, on Cowan Barrens.  Rains� strength not known.  I found sufficient forage to subsist my animals, but it is not plentiful.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

HUGH CAMERON,
Lieutenant-Colonel Second Arkansas Cavalry, Commanding Scout

SOURCE:  OR, Series I, Volume 41 (Part I), Page 917-919.

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