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147 Series I Volume XLVIII-I Serial 101 - Powder River Expedition Part I

Page 147 Chapter LX. SCOUT FROM LEXINGTON, MO.

at the mouth of Big Bayou Pigeon and send a messenger to the gun-boat Glide, then still at Brashear, to come up and guard in line manner the mouth of Little Bayou Pigeon. On leaving Indian Bend - I must here, however state that the detachment from my command, being short of rations for this unexpected extension of absence, killed and took on board sheep not exceeding ten or twelve in number, thought to be necessary to subsistence. The gun-boat Numbers 49, containing my detachment, lay at the mouth of Big Bayou Pigeon during the night, but without discovering any intention to cross the horses. Indeed, the nature of the night (a steady gale blowing until morning) would doubtless have prevented the execution of such a protect had it been contemplated. The next morning, the 22nd instant, she explored the Bayou for a distance of eight miles, the yawl, containing the commander of the gun-boat and lieutenant Griffin and the men of my regiment, going four or five miles farther up, discovering nothing. They then returned to this post, leaving the Glide at Little Bayou Pigeon awaiting further developments in regard to the horses, and arrived at the landing at 7. 30 this evening. The family of Mr. Williams, for peculiar and domestic reasons, could not be induced to come with him.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SIMON JONES,

Colonel Ninety-third U. S. Colored Infantry, Commanding Post.

Captain B. B. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MARCH 20-22, 1865. - Scout from Lexington, Mo.

Report of Lieutenant Daniel Shumate, First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

LEXINGTON, MO., March 24, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report to you:

In compliance with your instructions, on the morning of the 20th instant I marched from this post in command of eighteen men of my company. I took the Georgetown road as far as the Tabo Church, twelve miles east of this post. I there found a trail of six bushwhackers going west. I took the trail and followed it as far as Joel Ewing's. Night came on and I camped. During the night a heavy rain fell and put out the trail. I took the direction, however, and soon came to the Widow Demastus', and there found that five guerrillas had just left there, going west. A young-looking woman, said to be the widow of the guerrilla Wilhite, who was killed a year ago, made a great effort to make me believe that the party that had just left there had gone east. The mud was very deep, however, and it was very plain that they had all gone west, the same way that they came in. I took the track, and in half a mile I met five other guerrillas going east. I was with about 300 yards of them when I saw them. They discovered me at the same time. It was something over a mile to the timber; nothing in the way but two fences and deep mud. A desperate race for life or death ensued. They got to the timber 75 or 100 yards ahead of us. There were several shots fired, and I thought we wounded one man. They then separated and we followed three of them five or six hours. They kept in the bush only a short distance ahead of us. We


Page 147 Chapter LX. SCOUT FROM LEXINGTON, MO.