Today in History:

153 Series I Volume XIII- Serial 19 - Missouri - Arkansas Campaign

Page 153 Chapter XXV. SKIRMISH NEAR NEWARK, MO.

horse, including contrabands, and proceed to the rescue of Captain Lewis, who was reported surrounded by a superior force of rebels near Newark, Mo., under command of Porter, I left, with 104 men, at 1 a. m. of the 8th, for the scene of action, and arrived there between 7 and 8 o'clock the same morning. Found Captain Lewis, with his command of 175 men, occupying a brick house, near the borders of a wood, where the enemy were encamped the evening previous, and from where they demanded, through a flag of truce, an immediate surrender of the forces. I sent Lieutenant Buskirk, with 5 men, to reconnoiter, while we fed and rested our horses. After two hours he returned and reported no enemy to be found in the neighborhood. There were 2 wounded men in the house, reported as having received their wounds the day previous in a skirmish a half a mile distant from the house where Captain Lewis was quartered. At 5 p. m. I sent the wounded, under care of Assistant Surgeon Kimmel, to the hospital, accompanied by a guard of 10 men. At the same hour I left with the remainder of the force to learn the whereabouts of the enemy. Three miles from the house above referred to I learned he passed at 2.30 a. m. a northerly direction, stopping to rob the family of everything movable on the premises and swore the man not to reveal his whereabouts. The lady of the house said there were 203 or 204 well-armed men. As we were without provisions, our horses many of them without shoes, and no orders to pursue the enemy having been given, and the evening previous notice having been given that the paymaster was to be at headquarters on that day, I conceived it to be my duty to return to this post, which I did, arriving at 8 a. m. on the morning of the 9th.

I have the honor to be, yours, respectfully,

JAS. H. CRANE,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Second Regiment Cav., Missouri State Militia.

Colonel JOHN McNEIL, Commanding Northeastern Div., Missouri.


Numbers 2. Report of Captain Cicero A. Lewis, Second Missouri Cavalry (Militia).

CAMP SCOTT, July 9, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report: I proceeded, according to orders, from Camp Scott, July 6, to within 3 miles of Newark, where I encamped on the 7th. Hearing of the enemy on my front, I ordered out Lieutenant Morrow, with a detail of 20 men as skirmishers, and followed with the command. When about half a mile from my camp I dismounted 9 men, under Lieutenant Griffith, and ordered them into the brush on the right. They engaged the enemy immediately. I moved up with the command, after dismounting, when the enemy endeavored to outflank me and cut off my horses, when I fell back to camp, where there was some little skirmishing by the pickets until about 8 o'clock, when I received a flag of truce, demanding an unconditional surrender, which demand I transmit. I refused and prepared for defense, in which position I remained until the arrival of Colonel Crane, about 8 o'clock on the morning of the 8th. I had 2 men wounded, but sustained no other loss. Enemy's loss unknown.

I am, respectfully, your most obedient servant,

C. A. LEWIS,

Captain, Second Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

Major M. A. STEARNS.


Page 153 Chapter XXV. SKIRMISH NEAR NEWARK, MO.