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

Page 289 Chapter LX. SCOUT FROM PINE BLUFF, ARK.

thoroughly along--- to the Osage, and down the Osage to the mouth of Coal Camp Creek, and ascertained that there were no rebels in that section of the country north of the Osage. The band that crossed the railroad near Knobnoster on the 22nd instant were all that I could obtain any reliable information of. At Warsaw and other points I learned that the above-named band committed horrid outrages, murdering some ten or twelve discharged soldiers and citizens in Hickory and Benton Counties. Not hearing reliable reports of other bands of guerrillas, I returned to camp at this place this p. m. at 5 o'clock. Men and horses in good condition.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. J. GRAVELY,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Expedition.

Captain LAURANT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, General District of Missouri.

MAY 23-27, 1865. -Scout from Pine Bluff to Minticell, Ark., with skirmish (24th) at Monticello.

Report of Captain John H. Norris, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry.


HDQRS. COMPANY M, THIRTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
Pine Bluff, Ark., May 27, 1865.

SIR: In obedience to orders, I left this post in command of sixty men of our regiment (Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry) on Tuesday morning, the 23rd instant, on a scout to capture Captain Kidd and any other rebel soldiers or forces I might chance to run on. I divided my force outside the chain guard, and sent one-half, under Lieutenant Orton, on the Warren road, and the other half, under Lieutenant Drummond, on the upper Monticello road, and met together at Harper's plantation, thirty miles from this post, and camped that night. The next day I scoured the country completely and as thoroughly as possible from Harper's to Monticello, twenty-three miles, entering Monticello about sunset. Had a slight skirmish there, and after running all the rebel forces out of town I established my camp and sent word to Captain Burks, the rebel commander, that I was going to "remain there until they surrendered or until every corndodger and pound of meat was eaten and every ear of corn was properly disposed of to U. S. cavalry horses. " The next morning before sunrise the rebels began to send in flags of truce, and by 2 p. m. the whole rebel force in that country agreed to surrender upon the same terms Lee surrendered to Grant. I brought all in to-day, including 14 commissioned officers and 70 enlisted men. I seized 3 horses as the property that Captain Kidd obtained from those rebel soldiers belonging to West's battery who came in and surrendered on Sunday last. I learned then that the brigadier-general commanding had ordered me to cease hostilities toward Captain Kidd, and then, as Monticello was but a few miles out of my way, I determined to go by there. On my return from there I met with Captain Kidd, and he surrendered on the same terms. On my return from Monticello I met with several citizens who had been up to Pine Bluff with cotton and to purchase goods. Thy solicited an escort from my forces, and believing that a small party of jayhawkers who infested the country around

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Page 289 Chapter LX. SCOUT FROM PINE BLUFF, ARK.