HDQRS. ARMY OF S. W. MO.,
Camp Curtis, 6 miles east of Sarcoxie,
October 3, 1862.

* * * * * * *

II. The First Division Army of Southwestern Missouri, under command of Brigadier-General Totten, and the division of the Army of Kansas, now encamped near Sarcoxie, under the command of Brigadier-General Blunt, will march from their respective camps at 8 o�clock p. m. to-day and attack the enemy at or near Newtonia at dawn of day to-morrow. Before marching the camps will be struck and wagons packed. The trains will be left at the present camp until further orders under guard of the sick, but will be ready to move at any moment. Ambulances and hospital and ammunition wagons will move with the brigades to which they belong. A full supply of ammunition (if practicable 100 rounds to each man, including that in cartridge boxes) will be carried.

General Blunt will move with his division by the main road from Sarcoxie to Newtonia to some Point within a few miles of the enemy and there divide his force into two columns, the first, under his immediate command, to approach and attack the enemy in front by the main road; and the second will make its way to the enemy�s left flank by a country road and attack the enemy in flank. These two columns will be kept within supporting distance of each other.

General Totten�s division will move via Jollification in a single column and attack the right flank of the enemy�s position. The commanding general will accompany this column, and will determine the details of the attack hereafter. Should either column find the enemy in force in the timber along Center Creek, so as to render it necessary to defer the passage of the timber until daylight, information will be immediately communicated to the general commanding the other column. Both columns will if possible make the attack at dawn of day, but should either be delayed the other will endeavor simply to occupy the attention of the enemy long enough for the other to come up, making its actual attack as soon as the other shall be engaged.

* * * * * * *

By order of Brigadier-General Schofield:

CHARLES S. SHELDON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 13, Pages 706-707.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE,
Scullyville, Ind. T., December 15, 1862.

GENERAL:

Having defeated a superior force of the enemy at Newtonia on September 30 and driven his shattered forces back to Sarcoxie, Colonel Shelby was ordered to encamp with his brigade between Newtonia and Sarcoxie, and select an eligible position for the division on Shoal Creek or in the vicinity of Granby. The enemy rallied at Sarcoxie and was soon known to be receiving re-enforcements from Mount Vernon. Reports reached me from reliable sources of heavy re-enforcements being en route from Springfield, of which General Rains was informed and urgently appealed to for aid.

October 3 the advance of the enemy on the Jollification road was reported, and an order received from General Rains that night to fall back. Colonel Shelby was ordered on the night of the 3d to attack the advance of the enemy on the Jollification road. Lieutenant-Colonel Buster, with his battalion and Major Bryan�s (First) Cherokee Battalion, was directed to take position at Granby, and resist any movement from Sarcoxie by that road. During the night, as was anticipated, the enemy advanced in three columns. A detachment from Colonel Shelby's command attacked and captured the Federal pickets at Jollification, but the rapid advance of the Federals compelled them to retreat, leaving the prisoners in a blacksmith-shop. Colonel Buster�s command had a brisk skirmish with the advance guard near Shoal Creek, on the Sarcoxie and Granby road. These night attacks delayed the advance of the enemy�s right and left wings and disconcerted the whole, and at the same time placed my command on the alert. Being satisfied that a greatly superior force was rapidly advancing, and that my posilion could not be maintained, Colonel Shelby (then commanding in front of Newtonia) was early on the morning of the 4th directed to send back the train. The main body of the Federal Army made its appearance before Newtonia soon after sunrise and commenced a furious bombardment of the little village. Leaving Col. S. Folsom with his Choctaw regiment at Camp Coffee (Big Spring) to cover the removal of the train from that point and to observe the movements of the enemy on the Jollification and Cassville roads, I marched for Newtonia with the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Regiment and Stevens� Texas regiment to reopen the communication which had been reported cut off by the enemy. This proved untrue, but I found the advance guard of the enemy on the Pineville road between Newtonia and the timber south of it, and could plainly see large masses of infantry descending the high ridge north of the town. Colonel Shelby had effected the withdrawal of the troops and trains in good order, losing nothing except an ambulance containing a rocket battery, which was left behind and fell into the hands of the enemy through the stupidity of the driver. Filing to the left from Dr. Harman�s, we succeeded in reaching the Pineville road, by which Colonel Shelby had retired. [Lieut.] Col. Simpson N. Folsom, accompanied by Assistant Adjutant-General Wells, of my staff, with a portion of the Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment, charged upon the Federal advance, killed several and drove the party back, while the remainder of my command was withdrawn into the timber on the Pineville road and placed in ambush between the prairie and the forks of the Pineville road and the road leading from Camp Coffee down the creek, where we remained, expecting the enemy to advance, until the last ox-wagon from Camp Coffee had passed and Capt. Sampson Loering, of the First Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment - whom I had sent with his company up to our old camp to bring off stragglers and see what had become of Col. Sampson Folsom and his Choctaw regiment - returned. Captain Loering brought off the lagging wagons, stragglers, and women, but could give no account of Col. Sampson Folsom and his command, who, it seems, had quit his post, and, passing around the south side of Oliver�s Prairie, reached the Pineville road in advance of the train. The enemy, after the attack upon his advance guard, arrayed his whole force on the prairie between Newtonia and the timber and continued for hours to shell the brush, evidently afraid of an ambuscade. Our march was continued without interruption to Dog Hollow, 4 miles north of Pineville, where we encamped for the night.

******

DOUGLAS H. COOPER
Brigadier General, Commanding

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 13, Pages 332-336, at 332-333.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY IN THE FIELD,
Camp Elm Springs, Ark., October 13, 1862.

COLONEL: In obedience to your order of the 29th ultimo I marched the most of my regiment to Granby.

Early on the morning of the 30th, hearing heavy cannonading in the direction of Newtonia, I at once took up the line of march in the direction of that point. When near Newtonia I discovered the enemy extending in line from near Newtonia in a northerly direction near the timber. I was met by Captain Crisp with an order to charge the right flank of the enemy in double-quick time, which order I executed in colmnn of platoons, endeavoring to intercept and cut off their artillery. The enemy, after having fired a few rounds, retired with their artillery in great haste, leaving their infantry and cavalry to protect their retreat. Their cavalry soon giving way left the infantry exposed, and we captured some 80 prisoners, killing some 50 who refused to surrender. We pursued the enemy some 4 miles, capturing several guns, and were ably supported by the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Regiment, as well as a small portion of Colonel Shelby�s command. I received orders to march my men back to Camp Coffee. Before reaching Newtonia the enemy were re-enforced and opened a heavy cannonading upon my rear, which, however, was soon silenced by Captain Howell�s gallant battery.

My regiment remained in Newtonia until between 12 and 1 o�clock, when we were ordered out upon the enemy�s right flank, in company with Colonel Jeans� regiment, to feel the position of the enemy, ascertain his strength, and draw him out. When within 300 yards of his right flank he opened fire upon Colonel Jeans, which was returned. The enemy was some 400 yards from my command when they fired upon me, which fire I did not return. At this time I discovered another column moving down upon my right, with one battery of four guns, endeavoring to cut me off from the main command. I immediately ordered a retrograde movement, which was executed in good order under a heavy fire from the artillery of the enemy without injury to my command. I immediately took position behind a rock fence, extending some 200 yards west from Newtonia, where the enemy poured a heavy fire from his artillery upon me for near an hour. I remained in this position until about 5 o�clock, when I was ordered to support the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Regiment with Colonel Folsom�s regiment in a charge upon the enemy, he retiring from the field pursued by the Choctaw regiment. I took position upon the left of Captain Howell�s battery, when darkness terminated the contest, the enemy having been driven entirely from the field.

The casualties in my command were not large, considering the fire to which they were exposed.

In obedience to orders, on the morning of the 4th instant I marched my regiment from Camp Coffee in the direction of Newtonia. After getting within about 2 miles of Newtonia I discovered the enemy in force in three directions, charging in the direction principally of Harmon�s, south of Newtonia, and near the edge of the timber. Finding that I was cut off from Newtonia, I made a flank movement to the left and went into the timber. After marching some 2 miles west I intercepted the trail of our forces who had retreated from Newtonia. I followed this trail some 1 1/2 miles, and took position to cover the rear of our train, which was then moving in the direction of Pineville. While at this point I sent back Captain Elliott, of Colonel Shelby�s command, to ascertain if the enemy were pursuing, and he reported that they had formed line of battle near the timber and were firing into it with artillery and small-arms. I was then relieved by Colonels Buster and Jeans and moved my command on in the direction of Pineville, overtaking the command near Pineville.

My loss on the 4th instant was Private John Riley, Company F, who was on picket at Jollification, and was either killed or taken prisoner. The number of horses killed and wounded will be duly reported.

I cannot close this report without saying that I am under many obligations both to the officers and men under my command for their gallant bearing and undaunted courage in the face of the enemy. I cannot particularize, for each seemed to vie with the other in acts of bravery and deeds of daring; but I must be permitted to recommend to your consideration Captain Crisp, who led the charge on the morning of the 30th. His gallant bearing and determined bravery won from men and officers the highest praise.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. STEVENS,
Colonel, Commanding Regiment Texas Cavalry

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 13, Page 303-305.

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