Cavalry Missouri State Militia, to penetrate to the enemy's left, while a portion of the cavalry moved on his right unobserved, the remainder being held as reserve and holding horses. The infantry moved cautiously down the bed of a dry stream and reached the enemy's camp, and found they had evacuated their camp and fell back farther in the brush, which was almost impassable. Then throwing out ten men from Company L, Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, as advance guard, with instructions to move slowly and cautiously, we then started on the enemy's trail, which led through a heavy timbered bottom in the direction of Buffalo Creek. We had not proceeded more than one mile before the advance discovered and ambuscade of the enemy, but the thicket in which the enemy lay concealed was so dense that the advance did not discover them till they opened on them. I immediately dismounted my men and deployed my force as skirmishers and moved cautiously forward in hopes of finding the whole force of the enemy in that vicinity, but after reconnoitering I ascertained that he had moved on slowly and cautiously on the trail till the advance reached Buffalo Creek. They moved cautiously and slowly and saw no enemy till they had rode into the stream to water their horses, when the enemy opened a very heavy fire on the advance guard, wounding four men severely, one of whom died immediately, and disabling four horses. Having no ambulance with me, we constructed litters and slowly retraced our steps after reconnoitering the position the enemy had occupied, and found him gone again. It was then near sundown, and our horses being greatly fatigued, and so was the men, as the scarcity of water rendered it almost insupportable, I could not ascertain the actual force of the enemy. From the best information I could gather from the number of fires, from the number of beeves killed, &c., I will say that there cannot be less than 225 or 300, but there may be more. As the country is an everlasting jungle of brush and weeds, I was not able to ascertain his numbers, as he did not seem willing to venture an engagement.

The officers and men under my command behaved nobly, obeying every order issued with a promptness which deserves the highest respect. I reached Neosho early in the morning of the 8th instant with my wounded men, and they soon received that attention from the hands of Doctor Wills which every wounded soldier requires. They are doing well and I hope for their recovery, that they may mete out punishment to all rebels and traitors in arms.

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

MILTON BURCH,

Major, Commanding Battalion Eighth Cav. Missouri State Militia.

P. S.- I have no inform you that the enemy is commanded by a Major Piercey, of late date. It is Pickler's command, with a portion of Stand Watie's and a portion of notorious bushwhackers with Rusk's company. I think they will stay there, as I do not think I have force sufficient to drive them, owing to the duty required for foraging and a guard to guard the haymakers, as in the country they occupy it will, in my judgment, require a larger force to drive them than I have at my command. If I had 300 more men I could drive or annihilate him, as it will require that additional number to effect his overthrow in his forest fastness.

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

MILTON BURCH,

Major, Commanding Battalion Eighth Cav. Missouri State Militia.

Lieutenant W. D. HUBBARD,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. of Southwest Missouri, Springfield, Mo.