HEADQUARTERS.
Neosho, November 29, 1863.

Sir: For the information of the commanding general, I report the success of a scout taken by me with 20 men to Jasper County. Having learned, a few days previous to my starting out, of 10 or 15 bushwhackers harboring on Turkey Creek, in Jasper County, about 20 miles from this place (the weather being very cold), I thought it would be a good time to catch them, and I started.

I proceeded on my route about 9 miles, on to the waters of Shoal Creek, and discovered a light in the thick brush, and in the direction that I knew the light did not proceed from any house, and I knew it must be the camp-fire of guerrillas. I then dismounted my men, leaving a small force with the horses, and I with the remainder started on foot, proceeding very cautiously to within about 200 yards, and then halted. I then sent Lieut. John R. Kelso to reconnoiter and ascertain the force of the enemy and their situation. Lieutenant Kelso reported that they had a tent, and, from the best of his knowledge, there were only 3. I then, with Lieutenant Kelso and 3 men [sic]. Owing to the dense thicket we had to penetrate, we thought that we could slip up and surprise with a small force better than a large one, knowing if there were more rebels than we expected, the remaining portion of the men under my command were in easy striking distance. We arrived at the appointed place, the signal was given, and we fired, killing 2 of them, that being all there were there at that time. Their names were Martin Levacy, of Lawrence County, and Woods, given name not known. It was now about 10 o�clock of the night, and we pushed on for Turkey Creek, and arrived at one of the places. When within about a quarter of a mile of the house, we again dismounted, and moved stealthily onward toward the house, which we succeeded in surrounding before being discovered. I immediately hailed the inmates of the house, and demanded a surrender of all the men and arms there were in the house. After some little delay, occasioned, I suppose, in secreting one of their tribe under the floor of the house, after they had him put away decently, they concluded to surrender, and commenced handing their arms out of the window. The woman that handed out the arms stated that there was only one man in the house. We went in and arrested him, and started. I noticed a fine black overcoat hanging in the house, and mistrusted that there must be another somewhere. After I had got about 40 yards from the house, I turned back, and asked the lady if there was not another man somewhere about the house. She replied that if there was she could not help it. I then snatched up a fire-brand, and was going to dash it under the floor, and poor Secessia came crawling out, saying, "Here is my arms; I am your prisoner." I should have killed him then, but we were close to the rendezvous of another party, and I did not want to raise any alarm, although he justly deserves death, as there are a good many Union citizens in this portion of the State that are knowing to his jayhawking and shooting at good Union men; in fact, from the story of loyal citizens round this place, he is a perfect desperado; his name is Dempster Lindsay, formerly of Jasper County, of this State.

We then proceeded toward another house. Before getting to the place, we again dismounted and surrounded the house, as before, hailing in the same manner. After there was a light made in the house, they commenced handing out their arms. One of the rebels was up stairs, and was going to jump out of the window, but was deterred by two of my men shooting at him, which alarmed some others that were near, who made their escape. We captured 3 rebels at this place, and recaptured a Federal soldier, taken prisoner by the same party. He belongs, he says, to the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, Company I. He was left, sick, by a train passing down. We succeeded in capturing all his arms, excepting a revolver, together with his horse and equipments. The alarm being raised, and knowing that the hunt was broken up for that time, we started back to camp, with 5 rebel prisoners, 1 Federal soldier, and 6 horses, belonging to the prisoners we captured. The prisoners are all men of desperate character, being regular guerrillas, that have infested and been a terror to all the loyal citizens of the Southwest.

I subscribe myself, your obedient servant,

MILTON BURCH,
Capt., Com�dg Detachment Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22, Part I, Pages 761-763.

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