artillery in camp 28 miles north of this camp. Upon arriving within 12 miles of Neosho I ascertained that the force had already left that place and marched north against the governor, leaving a detachment in Neosho between 100 and 300 men. I immediately sent two columns of cavalry on different roads to capture the detachment-one column of six companies, under Colonel Churchill, and another, under Captain McIntosh, of five companies. The movement was entirely successful, and 137 prisoners fell into my hands, with 150 stand of arms, 1 color, 7 wagons (loaded with subsistence stores), and an ambulance. In the hurry of reporting this affair I made the amount of property and prisoners captured less than it actually was. During the night, having heard that a heavy cannonading had been heard during the day towards the north, and knowing that the governor was fighting his way towards me, I immediately mounted my command, and reached Neosho before morning. After a short rest I started with the entire command, and after a rapid march of 20 miles I formed a junction with the governor, who was at the head of about 7,000 men. He had met about 10 miles north of Carthage the force of Federal troops, 2,000 strong, and had fought them nearly the whole of the proceeding day, the Federal troops slowly falling back before him. They had evidently heard of our approach, and as soon as an opportunity occurred they had made a rapid retreat towards Springfield. The Missourians lost about 12 killed and 60 wounded. They think the loss of the enemy was fully equal to theirs.

Having made the movement without authority and having accomplished my mission, I determined to fall back to this position, and organize a force with a view of future operations.*

The governor has determined to take position about 12 miles from me with his entire force, and effect an entire reorganization of it. He seems confident that if he had the necessary arms he could bring a force at once of 50,000 men into the field. The force that was marching upon the governor's rear will no doubt move on to Springfield, and I think there will be an urgent necessity in the course of a few days to make an attack upon that place, or we will receive an attack from their concentrated forces. Should I receive no instructions in the mean time, I think that I will, together with Generals Pearce and Price, make an advance upon it as soon as the different forces are sufficiently organized to take the field.

I would here beg leave to call the attention of the Department to the conduct of the men of my command during a rapid march of several days and nights, and some of the time without any other provision than beef and salt; but, notwithstanding everything, they bore themselves like men, and their only regret seemed to be that they could not prove their strength against their Northern foes. I would take this occasion to call the attention of the Department to the conduct of Captain McIntosh since his appointment on my staff. His services in the camp and in the field have been invaluable, and I hope that other officers of military experience may be sent to my command for duty with it.

I would again beg leave to call your attention to the fact that neither arms nor ammunition have been furnished me, and that the Texas regiment will soon be with me. They only received 1,600 single-barreled pistols and a few sabers from the arsenal at San Antonio. I am also

---------------

*See Walker to McCulloch, July 26, and McCulloch to Benjamin, December 22, post.

---------------