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728 Series I Volume XXII-I Serial 32 - Little Rock Part I

Page 728 MO.,ARK.,KANS.,IND.T., AND DEPT. N. W. Chapter XXXIV.

buried by themselves, and hear of others at some distance from our lines which I did not visit.

Our own loss in the engagement is so follows: Six enlisted men killed; 6 enlisted men have since died of wounds, and 18 enlisted men wounded.

The above comprises the entire loss of this brigade, 9 of whom are of the Fifth Kansas, killed, and 3 of the First Indiana Cavalry. The loss of the enemy has necessarily been much heavier than our own, form the fact that we were protected, while they were exposed to the fire of our sharpshooters all the time; and in this connection I will mention that among all the killed and wounded I found but 3 men who had been hit with cannon shot; the rest were rifle balls.

I* am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

M. F. CLARK,

Lieutenant Fifth Kansas Cavalry, and Supt. of Burial Party.

Colonel POWELL CLAYTON,

Commanding Cavalry Brigade.


Numbers 6. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Henry C. Caldwell, Third Iowa Cavalry, of the pursuit of Marmaduke.

HEADQUARTERS RESERVE BRIGADE, Benton, Ark., October 31, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following brief report of the cavalry expedition in pursuit of Marmaduke:

At 7 a. m. on the 26th instant, I received an order from Major-General Steele,stating that "Colonel Clayton was attacked at Pine Bluff," and directing me to "march in the direction of Pine Bluff with all the available cavalry at this post immediately." At 9 a. m. of the same day, I left Benton, with 500 cavalry and one section of the Twenty-fifth Ohio Battery, and marched in the direction of Pine Bluff. About 12 o'clock at night of the same day, and when 12 miles from Pine Bluff, I came upon the camp of part of [J. M.] Glover's brigade, which had left Little Rock, and there learned that Colonel Clayton had repulsed the enemy, and stood in no need of re-enforcements. My stock being very tired, I halted till morning, when I proceeded to Pine Bluff, and reported to Colonel Clayton. Colonel Clayton had just received an order from Major-General Steele to assume command of the forces ordered to his assistance from Benton, Little Rock, and Brownsville, and, with them and all the available force at Pine Bluff, pursue the enemy. The order further states that General [S. A.] Rice had been ordered to Benton with a brigade of infantry, and would be ordered to go on to Arkadelphia, and that when he (Colonel Clayton) joined General Rice, or came within communicating distance, he would act under orders from General Rice. Colonel Clayton being sick and unable to go, turned this order over to me, as the ranking officer present, and directed me to take charge of the expedition. The horses attached to the Twenty-fifth Ohio Battery were completely broken down, in consequence of which the section of that battery taken by me from Benton, as also the section taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Caldwell, of the First Iowa Cavalry, from Little Rock, were left at Pine Bluff, and Colonel Clayton's howitzers taken in lieu of them. Owing to the non-arrival of the forces from Brownsville, I did not leave Pine Bluff till 5 p. m. on the 27th instant; marched


Page 728 MO.,ARK.,KANS.,IND.T., AND DEPT. N. W. Chapter XXXIV.