SPRINGFIELD, Mo., October 10, 1863.

COLONEL:  I have the honor to report that, in obedience to Special Orders, No. 197, from Headquarters Southwestern District of Missouri, dated October 2, 1863, I moved from Newtonia at 8 a. m., October 4; arrived at Neosho at 11 o’clock, on my way to join Major [A. A.] King in the field (supposed to be in the neighborhood of Pineville).  Not learning anything of the whereabouts of Major King, I immediately started in a southwest direction, on the Buffalo road, in search of him, and when I had marched about 2 miles from Neosho, I met Coffee’s band of guerrillas, about 300 strong.  They formed line, but immediately fell back, and started through the woods in direction of Neosho.  I sent messengers back by the road to apprise the guard (left with stores and baggage at that place) of their approach, and moved my column by small circuit back to Neosho, and entered the town on one side at the same time that the rebels entered it on the other.  We opened a brisk fire upon them, driving them back.  They recovered in a few moments, and again moved upon the town, and at the same time I discovered three or four different bodies of rebel cavalry approaching from different directions.  I saw that it was impossible to cut our way through their lines.  We therefore immediately occupied the brick court-house and again drove them out of the town.  We remained in the court-house about one and a half hours, and fought them, and until they had shot four cannon balls through it.  At this time a white flag appeared, the object of which was to demand an immediate and unconditional surrender, which I refused, but offered to surrender provided we were treated as prisoners of war, the men to retain their clothing, money, &c., the Enrolled Missouri Militia to receive the same treatment, and the Union citizens to be unmolested, to which General Shelby at first objected, refusing to treat Enrolled Missouri Militia as prisoners of war.  I replied that we would all share the same fate, and would not surrender unless all would be treated as prisoners of war.  General Shelby replied that he would accept my conditions, provided I would agree to have my whole command paroled on the ground.  I positively refused to agree to the paroling of my command in this way.  General Shelby refused to parley any further, and said he would shell the town in four minutes if we did not agree to the above conditions.  I therefore surrendered my command, consisting of 123 men and 5 officers of Third Battalion Sixth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, and 34 men and 1 officer of Captain Stall’s detachment of Sixth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, a few Enrolled Missouri Militia and citizens, making in all about 180 men; were paroled by companies, the officers in writing.  The men’s names were taken by Shelby, and they were sworn not to take up arms against the Confederate States of America until duly exchanged.  No written parole was given them.

We lost our entire train and baggage, which had been moved to Neosho on that morning.  The loss on our side was 2 killed and 2 wounded, and 2 Enrolled Missouri Militia (one a lieutenant) killed by Coffee’s men after they had been paroled.  The rebels had 5 killed and 9 wounded that I have learned of.  I believe their loss was greater.  Our men fought bravely, and we could not have been taken if the enemy had had no artillery.

General Shelby was in command of the rebel forces, which I estimated at 1,500; they claimed to be 2,200 strong.  They had three pieces of artillery, one of them a good gun, the other two indifferent.  I understood that one of the indifferent ones got bursted or otherwise damaged at Neosho.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. B. McAFEE,
Captain Third Battalion, Sixth Mo. State Militia Cav.

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Pages 656-657.

NEWTONIA, MO., October 4, 1863.

GENERAL:  I have the honor to report that, in pursuance of your orders, I moved my command from Neosho to this place (court having adjourned at that place).  About 1 mile from Neosho, the train of Captain McAfee was attacked and mostly captured.  My train had just passed that of Captain McAfee, but I succeeded in bringing it out, with the loss of 2 men wounded.  I had left 30 of my men at Neosho, to receive Captain McAfee’s baggage, &c., when it should arrive there.  This force of the rebels is evidently strong.  They have some artillery, which I heard some distance off, engaging, as I supposed, Captain McAfee’s command.

From the best information I can obtain, I am confident that the forces of Coffee or Shelby are in this vicinity.  I shall send my train to Mount Vernon to-night, and take what force I can raise here and go and reconnoiter in the direction of Neosho.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY V. STALL,
Captain, Commanding Detachment

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Page 657.

NEWTONIA, Mo., October 4, 1863, 10.30 p. m.

GENERAL: I have just received reliable information that Captain McAfee, commanding detachment of three companies (I, K, and M) of the Sixth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, was captured at Neosho this afternoon by a rebel force, under command of Coffee, and about 1,200 or 1,500 strong, with three pieces of artillery.  The rebels are reported to have burned Neosho, and then moved in the direction of Pineville.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY V. STALL,
Captain, Commanding

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Page 658.

NEWTONIA, October 5, 1863, 11 a. m.

COLONEL:  Reached here with force from Cassville at 4 a. m.  Shelby attacked Captain McAfee at Neosho yesterday, capturing him and his whole force, 165 men, with a train of 6 wagons loaded with subsistence.  Captain McAfee fought them as long as he could, but they knocked the court-house down with their artillery (three pieces).  Their force is 1,200 or 1,500 strong.  They left Neosho for Carthage about 4 o’clock last evening.  About 200 prisoners paroled have arrived.  I suggest that you order the artillery, with the balance of the cavalry, to join us here, when we could push on and be further re-enforced at Greenfield.  Shelby will march night and day to reach Jackson County.  If we start after him, subsistence must be sent after us.  We have five days’ rations.  Will arrive to-day.

E. B. ENO

Major, [Eighth] Missouri State Militia [Cavalry]

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Page 658.

NEWTONIA, October 5, 1863.

COLONEL:  General Shelby, with a force estimated at from 1,000 to 1,500, stated by them as 2,200, attacked Captain McAfee at Neosho yesterday at 1.30 p. m.  Enemy have three pieces of artillery.  Captain [C. B.] McAfee, after a short fight, surrendered, having 7 or 8 killed and wounded.  His force was 185 men.  Prisoners were paroled yesterday evening, and have arrived.  The enemy left Neosho yesterday evening about 4 o’clock, in direction of Carthage.  We reached here about 4 a. m.  Major [A. A.] King has just arrived.  Our total force is 550.  Coffee is with the enemy, and probably will visit Greenfield.  Shelby will probably attempt to go to Jackson County.  Can you reenforce us, and with artillery?  No commissary stores here.  Our commissary stores from Cassville not yet arrived.  Will arrive by night.

JOHN D. ALLEN,
Colonel, Commanding

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Pages 658-659.

NEWTONIA, October 5, [1863], 6.30 p. m.

COLONEL:  A soldier just in, who was released by the enemy 4 miles this side of Carthage at 9 o’clock this morning, states that he heard their guns firing at Carthage; that part would go by Greenfield; all were destined for Jackson County, and were taking away all the wagons they could find.  They are going to take their plunder out.  We will move rapidly, via Brownsville, to-night, to Greenfield.  Our subsistence should meet us on the 7th or night of 6th.  You can send the artillery, via Mount Vernon, to Greenfield, which do rapidly, if possible.

JOHN D. ALLEN,
Colonel, Commanding

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Page 659.

HEADQUARTERS SHELBY’S BRIGADE
Camp Price, November 16, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to make to you the following detailed report of my operations in Arkansas and Missouri:

****

October 2, I marched from McKissick’s Springs to Pineville, where Missouri breezes blew and Missouri skies looked down upon us.  Here Colonel [J. T.] Coffee joined me with 400 men.  I had determined to march upon Neosho the night of the 2d, but Colonel Coffee’s forces coming in only by squads and companies, I resolved to remain in camp at Pineville until the next morning, in the mean time guarding and picketing every highway and by-way leading in a northerly direction.

At daylight on the morning of the 3d [4th], I started for Neosho, where there were 300 Federal cavalry stationed -- a terror to the country, the insulters of unprotected women, and the murderers of old and infirm men.  I made my dispositions as follows:  Coffee was to make a detour and gain the rear of the town; Gordon to take position on the right flank and extend his line to Coffee, as was Shanks on the left, while I, with [J. C.] Hooper and Hunter, the artillery and the battalion, made the attack and drove them in their fortifications.  The plan was well and skillfully carried out, and the doomed enemy were encompassed by a cordon of steel before they knew of a foeman near.  Thorp, with his usual dash, drove their pickets into town, where they, with the main body, took refuge in a strong brick court-house, pierced and loop-holed for musketry, where they kept up a hot fire upon our advancing columns.  Without artillery this position could only be taken at a heavy sacrifice, and the Federals were already beginning to laugh at the fire of my skirmishers, when I ordered my cannon into position and sent two balls crashing through the walls.  This was followed by an immediate demand for unconditional surrender, which, after some little parley, they agreed to, and all their horses, arms, stores, and everything they possessed fell into my hands.  The men I paroled and left at liberty, thinking it best not to weaken my command by detaching from it the guards it would have been necessary to furnish to send them to our lines.

Halting in Neosho only long enough to distribute the arms and ammunition, I pushed on rapidly for Sarcoxie, resting on Jones Creek some five hours, and fed my command.

October 4, passed through the blackened and desolated town of Sarcoxie, whose bare and fire-scarred chimneys point with skeleton fingers to heaven for vengeance; then to the town of Oregon, or Bowers’ Mill, a notorious pest spot for the militia, which was sacked and then swept from the face of the earth, to pollute it no more forever, and halted within 18 miles of Greenfield.

By daylight of the 5th the town was surrounded.  The nest was there, and warm, but the birds had flown.  Our advance had a brief, short fight with their rear, killing some and capturing some.  Here I appropriated the contents of several stores, captured a quantity of arms, and destroyed a strong fort, and rested for the night 10 miles north of Stockton, after burning a fort there and driving out a few militia.  All along this road the inhabitants had their household furniture taken from their houses, and waiting in silence and in sorrow for us to apply the torch, it having been represented to them that my command was laying the country waste, as though God had sent the whirlwind and the storm to drive back the laws of nature and desolate the land with fire, pestilence, and famine.  On this route every house belonging to a Southern family has been burned, and the family as effectually destroyed as if the waves of the Dead Sea had rolled over them with their dread monotony.

****

I have traveled 1,500 miles, and found the people of Missouri, as a mass, true to the South and her institutions, yet needing the strong presence of a Confederate army to make them volunteer.  The southern, southwestern, and some of the middle counties of Missouri are completely desolated.  In many places for 40 miles not a single habitation is to be found, for on the road we met delicate females fleeing southward, driving ox teams, barefooted, ragged, and suffering for even bread.

****

JO. O. SHELBY.
Colonel, Commanding Expedition

SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 22 (Part I), Pages 670-678.

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