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HDQRS. THIRTEENTH Regiment ILLINOIS CAV. VOLS.,
Arcadia, Mo., June 27, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to submit to you the following report:
In compliance with orders received from headquarters sub-district and post, Pilot Knob, MO., I proceeded, on the morning of the 29th of May, 1863, with 5 commissioned officers and 110 non-commissioned officers and privates, to Patterson County, with instructions to reconnoiter the country south and west of that place. At Patterson I found 69 men of the Third Missouri State Militia, under command of Lieutenant [Samuel R.] Kelly, same regiment.
In the afternoon of the 30th of May, I received reliable information that the guerilla chief Reves, with a force variously estimated at from 400 to 600 men, was encamped at or near Ponter's Mill, Mo. From this information I concluded to attack him in his camp.
Below Ponter's Mill there is a junction of three roads, one leading to Doniphan, one to Pitman's Ferry, and one out to the so-called Glass Settlement. To prevent Reves escaping without giving a fight, I organized two expeditions, one of 75 men, under command of Captain Erskine, with instructions to move, by the way of Greenville and Poplar Bluff, to the north side of Ponter's Mill, and to arrive there on the 2nd of May [June], at 3 p. m., and, if the enemy was to be found, to attack him at once.
I, myself, took command of 49 men of the Third Missouri State Militia, under Lieutenant Kelly, and 32 men from the Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry, under command of Captain [G. Allen] May. I intended to march in a western direction to Carter's Mill, on Black River; from there to Doniphan, and arrive on the 2nd of June, at 3 p. m., at the junction of the different roads south of Reves' camp, and act in conjunction with Captain Erskine.
I arrived at Carter's Mill at 12 m., and, as I had received information that small rebel band was in the vicinity, I scouted the country around thoroughly, without finding any signs of an enemy. From this place I proceeded, the same afternoon, 14 miles farther on the Doniphan road. At 6 p. m. I left the main road, and went to a farm about 1 1/2 miles in an eastern direction, for the purpose of obtaining forage. This farm consisted of about 16 acres of cleared ground, making a regular square, with a creek, lined on each side by small brushes, running from east to west through the center of the clearing. The field was surrounded by very steep hills on all sides, covered with the heavy timber and thick underbrush. On the west side of the field was a large log barn, with a small fenced yard surrounding three sides. At arriving at the place, I ordered Lieutenant Kelly to camp his command in and around this barn-yard. I also ordered Captain May to camp his command on the north side of the creek, behind the undergrowth on its bank.
After the pickets had been stationed on the hills around the camp, the horses were fed and the men prepared their supper. When this was done, I ordered the whole command to saddle and bridle again, and sleep on their arms, close to their horses. Captain May received instructions from me to remain, in case of an attack, at the place on which he was encamped, as a reserve, and await my orders. Lieutenant Kelly was instructed, in case of an attack, to take half of his command and form a line of skirmishers behind the fence on the south side of the field, and the other half of his command was ordered to hold the barn-yard, and, in case the enemy came in overwhelming numbers, the whole of his command should fall back to the barn and hold it.
On the morning of June 1, at about 3.45, I heard two shots fired in the direction of the picket on the east side of my camp. I immediately ordered the troops to the positions before designated. I told Captain May to hold his command in readiness, either to charge on the enemy, if he should attempt to come into the field, or to be prepared to fall in his rear, with dismounted men, but, under all circumstances, to await my orders. After this I went back to the Third Missouri State Militia, and saw Lieutenant Kelly leaving his place behind the fence, already, in double-quick. I asked him his reasons for such doings, and received an answer that the enemy could be heard coming through the woods. I then ordered him back behind the fence, but before he arrived there a tremendous fire was opened from the woods opposite the fence. This was sufficient to frighten his men so completely that all efforts on the barn. I further noticed that these men ran away without taking their saddled horses along, which, in order to save, I gave the men orders to mount a at four different times, which was obeyed by but 7 or 8 men who remained on the ground. After this I proceeded to Captain May, and found him with his men in line of battle, awaiting my orders. In the mean time the enemy had crossed the fence and taken possession of the barn and surrounding yard, and secured the horses of the Third Missouri State Militia. The same moment I also saw a mounted force of the enemy going in the direction of the main road, and fearing that the might cut off my way of retreat, I ordered Captain May to bring his command, and trotted through the woods toward the main road; when there, a half mile back, I selected a good position, dismounted the men, and formed a line of skirmishers, and waited about three-quarters of an hour, in order that stragglers from the Third Missouri State Militia might come up. Afterward we started back toward Patterson, arriving at that place at 3 p. m. When arrived at Patterson, there were missing from the Third Missouri State Militia 27 men, horses, and equipments; among them the two officers who accompanied the expedition. All these men came in that night on foot. Three of the Third Missouri State Militia received slight wounds, and, after defending nobly the position in which they were stationed, left the field with me. During my efforts to make the Third Missouri State Militia hold their position, I received eight balls in different parts of my body.
On arriving at Patterson, I immediately sent word to Captain Erskine, recalling him, and he arrived safe in camp at Patterson June 2.
On the way back to Patterson I received from citizens the following information: Reves, with from 500 to 600 men, mounted left his camp, near Ponter's Mill, on the 30th of May, marching, by way of Doniphan, toward Patterson, on a more western road then the one which I was coming, with the intention to attack Patterson on the morning of the 1st of June. Arriving at Carter's Mill about one hour after I had left, he changed his course and followed my tracks, remaining in my rear at a distance of 3 or 4 miles, and concealed himself, after having obtained information of the locality at which I camped.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
L. LIPPERT,
Major, Commanding Regiment.
Captain H. C. FILLEBROWN, Assistant Adjutant-General.