headquarters First and Second divisions, Camp Pea Ridge,
Ark., March 15, 1862.
General: I have the honor to lay before you the following reports in regard to the actions of the First and Second divisions from the filth to the ninth day of the month.
Expedition to Pineville on the Fifth of March.
On the evening of the fifth the main body of the two divisions was encamped near McKisick's farm, thirty-two miles southward of
Bentonville, and one mile from the fork of the roads leading west to
Maysville and north-east to
Pineville.
The Second Missouri, under
Col. Schaefer, and one company of cavalry were stationed at
Osage Mills, (otherwise called
Smith's Mills,) five and a half miles south-east of McKisick's farm, whilst our pickets guarded all the other avenues to the camp.
For the purpose of reconnoitring the country toward the
Indian territory, and to detain the rebels of. South--
west Missouri from following
Price's army by the State-line road,
Major Conrad, with five select companies of infantry, sixty men of cavalry, and two pieces of
Woelfley's battery, was ordered to proceed on the first day to
Lindsey's prairie, where he arrived in the evening, sixteen miles south-west of McKisick's farm, on the second, (the fifth,) to
Maysville, and to return on the third day to our own camp.
Such was our position on the evening of the fifth, when I received orders from you to send a detachment of cavalry to
Pineville, where there were said to be some two or three hundred rebels, who disturbed and endangered the
Union people of
McDonald County.
I directed
Major Mezaros, with eighty men, to march at ten o'clock P. M., on the north-western road to
Pineville, whilst
Capt. V. Rilmansegge was sent to
Major Conrad, at
Maysville, to lead his sixty men of cavalry, with one piece of artillery and twenty infantry, at ten o'clock in the night, from
Maysville to
Rutledge and
Pineville, and to act in concert with
Major Mezaros.
A home guard company, stationed between
Pineville and Keitsville, was ordered to occupy at night the roads leading to
Neosho and
Kent, and thereby prevent the secesh from escaping in that direction.
Major Mezaros and
Capt. V. Rilmansegge should approach the town from the east, south-east and south-west.
It was understood that these detachments should attack the town simultaneously at five o'clock in the morning.
Just a few minutes before ten o'clock in the morning, when
Mezaros was prepared to leave the camp, I received news from
Col. Schaefer, at
Osage Mills, that his pickets posted in the direction of
Elm Spring were fired upon by the enemy.
This, in addition to your own despatches, reporting the enemy's force at
Fayetteville, and a strong party of cavalry advancing toward Middle-town, and besides this, your order to march to
Sugar Creek, made me at once aware of the dangerous position of my command.
I therefore ordered
Col. Schaefer to break up his camp immediately, to send the cavalry company to
Osage Springs to cover his right flank, and to march with his regiment to
Bentonville, leaving
Osage Springs to the right, and McKisick's farm to the left.
All other troops I ordered to be prepared to march at two o'clock in the morning.
In regard to the expedition to
Pineville, it was too late to countermand the movement under
Capt. Von Rilmansegge, but to return to
Sugar Creek as quickly as possible without ruining his horses, so that they could be of some use in the ensuing battle.
Major Conrad was made aware of our situation, and instructed to join us at
Sugar Creek by some circuitous road leading north-east.
The result of the expedition was not very great, but satisfactory.
The attack was made according to the instructions given, and at the present time, but only one captain, one lieutenant, and fifteen men of
Price's army, were found in the town and made prisoners — the others had left some days previous.
The commands of
Major Mezaros and
Capt. Rilmansegge arrived safely on the sixth, in our camp at
Sugar Creek, bringing with them their prisoners.
Unfortunately they had to leave behind and to destroy a
printing-press and types taken at
Pineville, as the roads they took were too bad to bring this important material along.
Major Conrad, with his detachment, found his way to Keitsville and
Cassville, which place he left on the ninth, and arrived at the former place with
Col. Wright, some time after I had opened the road to
Cassville in the pursuit of
Price's force, which retired from Keitsville to
Berryville.
II.
retreat from M'Kisick's farm by
Bentonville, to camp Halleck, on
Sugar Creek.
At two o'clock in the morning of the sixth, the troops encamped at McKisick's farm, moved forward toward
Bentonville in the following order:
Advance-guard under
Asboth--one company of Fourth Missouri cavalry, (
Fremont hussars,) Second Ohio battery, under command.
of
Lieut. Chapman; Fifteenth Missouri volunteers, under command of
Col. Joliat.
Train of First and Second divisions, escort and guarded by detachments of the respective regiments.
The First division under
Col. Osterhaus.
The Flying battery, the Fifth Missouri cavalry (
Benton hussars,) and the squadron of the Thirty-sixth Illinois cavalry, under
Capt. Jenks.
Before leaving camp I detached
Lieut. Shippart, of company A,
Benton hussars, with twenty men, to
Osage Springs, to communicate with
Colonel 
