CIVIL WAR MISSOURI, APRIL 1862, SCOUT GADFLY, GRANBY, NEWTONIA, NEOSHO
 
 
APRIL 9, 1862
SCOUT THROUGH GADFLY, GRANBY, NEWTONIA & NEOSHO

Report of Col. Clark Wright, 6th Missouri Cavalry (Union), to Assistant Adjutant-General H. Z. Curtis

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH MISSOURI CAVALRY,
Cassville, Mo., April 9, 1862.

SIR:  I arrived here late this evening with my command, with Captain Banning, and train loaded with subsistence, and some 65 head of cattle.  I passed out by the way of Gadfly, Newtonia, Granby, Neosho, and down the valley of Indian Creek, dispersing all the rebel and jayhawking bands in the country through which we passed.  We had some three skirmishes, killing Neut. Cole, Dr. Adams, Dr. Cummons, and severely if not mortally wounding Yancy Richardson, Dr. Wills Allison, and slightly wounding several others, and capturing some 125 prisoners, all of whom except 25 I turned loose after a critical examination and administering the oath of allegiance to them.  I only retained the leaders and desperadoes, the remainder expressing a desire to lay down their arms and go to work.  I endeavored to discriminate closely, and among all the better class of secessionists I think I left a very favorable impression.  We drove all the gangs down to Stand Watie, a point on the line of the Indian Territory some 15 miles below Neosho.  They are embodied there, 600 in number between Cowskin and Buffalo Creek and some 10 miles below. Pike has some 1,500 Indians.  I did not think it prudent to attack these combined forces with my force and expose the train.  I learned to-day, however, that their bands followed us as we retired up the country some distance, committing depredations.  There is a horrible state of affairs in that corner of the State.  Our trip was quite a success in the way of subsistence.  I shall remain here to-morrow to shoe our horses.  The commissary, Captain Banning, will turn over all our subsistence, to be forwarded to the army, and we will reload the train and join the command by a circuitous route at Forsyth in a few days, unless otherwise ordered.

Price passed through Clarksville, on Arkansas River, yesterday, one week ago (Sunday morning), on his way to Little Rock.  I learned from a very intelligent man just from Price's army that he (Price) would move to a point where he could re-enforce the rebels on the Mississippi at any point most needed.

We captured horses enough to mount the remainder of our men this trip.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CLARK WRIGHT,
Colonel Sixth Missouri Cavalry

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 8, Page 363.

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