AUGUST 7, 1863.

GENERAL:

On the 28th of July, with 28 men of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, I left Cassville, with a scout, under the command of Major [T. J.] Hunt, First Arkansas Cavalry. We marched with that command to Mudtown, Ark. There we left it, and went to Elm Springs. Learning that Captain Arrington, of the rebel army, was near that place with a small force of rebels, we fell in his rear at 12 o�clock at night on the 29th. My men and horses being tired, we stopped. Early next morning we started in the direction of Fayetteville, and came on the enemy�s rear guard 6 miles from Elm Springs, and had a skirmish. One rebel was killed and 4 wounded, and 1 horse captured. We joined Major Hunt�s command at Fayetteville, and all returned to Elm Springs that night and camped. The next morning, the 31st, we left Major Hunt�s command, and took the road to Maysville. About 8 miles from Elm Springs we came upon the enemy, 25 strong, and had another skirmish, killing 4 and wounding 5, and capturing 3 horses. We then proceeded to Maysville. There I learned that Colonel Coffee was encamped within 10 miles of that place, on Butler�s Creek, with 500 men. Not having a force sufficient to attack Coffee, we returned to Springfield, by Neosho, Newtonia, Jollification, Morrisville, and Little York without meeting any more of the enemy.

My men behaved bravely. The only casualty to my men was 1 injured by the fall of his horse. We captured in all 16 horses.

JOHN E. PHELPS,
Lieut. Third U. S. Cav., Recruiting Officer Second Ark. Cav.

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22, Part I, Page 464.

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