Numbers 7. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Richard A. Vaughan [Baughan?], Seventh Cavalry, Eighth Division Missouri State Guard.

CAMP LEE, MO., July 19, 1861.

SIR: Herewith please find report of the battalion under my command in the engagement had with the Federal forces on the prairie near Dry Fork, 12 miles north of Carthage, the county seat of Jasper County, Mo., on the 5th day of this month.

The force under my command that day from my own battalion was 200 men, two-thirds of whom were armed with common rifles and shot-guns, viz: Company A, Captain R. H. Williams, 4 officers and 60 men; Company B, Captain C. D. Smith, 4 officers and 40 men; Company C, Captain J. F. Stone, 3 officers and 32 men, and Company E, Captain J. Crockett, 3 officers and 30 men, making an aggregate of 200 men. Colonel Hyde, of Saint Joseph, Mo., with about 100 men, was ordered to attach his command to my battalion for that day, and the position assigned to me was on the left of Colonel Peyton's regiment.

When the order was given to charge on the battery of the enemy I moved forward with the whole command, having divided the force under me into two squadrons, giving to Colonel Hyde the command of the first, assisted by Major Bolton, and I commanded the second squadron, assisted by Captain Cunningham, of Colonel Hyde's battalion. The men marched off in good order, and were anxious to fight. We were prevented fro making a direct charge on he battery of the enemy from the fact [that] a strong fence ran parallel with, north, and between my command and the position taken by the enemy. We therefore followed in rear of Colonel Peyton's regiment through the field, wheat and corn, until some confusion, occasioned by pulling down a strong fence, was discovered at the head of the column, when I oblique to the right, intending to get a position in rear of the enemy and charge from that point. From the time we passed the brow of the hill in the field we were exposed to a raking fire of canister and round shot until we reached the timber. I am proud to say the men behaved admirably, promptly obeying every order given to them, and were remarkably calm and cool four young soldiers.

Lieutenant Kimble, of Company B, had his leg broken and his horse killed under him by a cannon ball. Lieutenant Badger, of the same company, had his saber and scabbard broken in two by the explosion of a bomb.* Private Hockaby, of the same company, had his horse killed under him. Captain J. F. Stone, of Company C, had his horse killed under him while at the head of his company. Private Wilson, of the same company, lost his horse at this time.

I was ordered to take my command down the creek and cross over at the first crossing I could find. I did so, and joined the cavalry brigade on the prairie south of the creek. We were not near enough again during the day to give or receive a shot from the enemy.

Very respectfully,

RICHARD A. VAUGHAN [BAUGHAN?]

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Vernon County Battalion.

To the ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Eighth Division Missouri State Guard.

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*Casualty list appended to copy loss to have been 1 officer wounded and 4 horses killed.

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