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

Page 258 Chapter LX. LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI.

MAY 5, 1865. -Skirmish in the Perche Hills, Mo.

Report of Major Reeves Leonard, Ninth Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

STURGEON, May 5, 1865.

A scout from this post under Sergeant Tate, of company C, had a skirmish with a band of guerrillas this morning in Perche Hills. Killed 1, wounded 2, captured several horses, arms, &c. A company of Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry had a skirmish this morning. I have heard nothing yet.

R. LEONARD,

Major, Ninth Cavalry Missouri State Militia.

Lieutenant TIDWELL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAY 6-11, 1865. -Scout from Little Rock to Bayou Meto and Little Bayou, Ark.

REPORTS.


Numbers 1. -Lieutenant Colonel Richard G. Ward, Seventy-ninth U. S. Colored Troops.


No. 2. -Major Gurnsey W. Davis, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry.


Numbers 1. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Richard G. Ward, Seventy-ninth U. S. Colored Troops. HDQRS. SEVENTY-NINTH Regiment U. S. COLORED TROOPS, Little Rock, Ark., May 12, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the expedition which left Little Rock on the steamer Rose Hambleton May 6, 1865:

In accordance with orders from Major-General Salomon, I embarked at 7 p. m. with 250 men of the Seventy-ninth U. S. Colored Infantry, and seventy-five men of the Fourth Arkansas Cavalry. I arrived at Pine Bluff on the morning of the 7th, and agreeable to instructions I reported to Brigadier-General Clayton for the purpose of procuring guides, &c. The general informed me that no considerable body of the enemy was on the south bank of the river, and that he was about to send a cavalry scout down the north bank; and if not contrary with your orders or instructions, he would like for me to land my force near the mouth of Bayou Meto and act in conjunction with his forces from above. I accordingly dropped down do Doctor Price's plantation, which is on an island formed by the waters of Big and Little Bayous, and scouted the island thoroughly, but found nothing but a few Government mules, the enemy having been driven from that place by high water. As soon as I obtained perfect information as to their character I ordered no guerrillas to be taken. Ascertaining from good authority that thy were above the mouth of Little Bayou, I moved to that point and made several scouts at different points where it was practicable to move infantry. I found their outposts at General Williams' plantation, and ascertained from a citizen that the enemy belonged to a Texas regiment. I moved rapidly up the river, sometimes by boat, in order to avoid the difficult swamps. On the 9th I met Major Davis, of the


Page 258 Chapter LX. LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI.