Show I CAPTURE SMALL GRIST MILL Detachment of Missouri Cavalry Make Raid and Bag Lot of Rebels and Horses Horse Our three years years' service expired Aug 9 1804 1864 and on the Groves in command of 1 14 1 men of Co A and 12 of Co B D Mo Cay left Pine Bluffs Ark at daylight on a secret march of 32 2 miles south to a agrist agrist agrist grist mill which Gen Clayton was anxious to know whether the rebels were operating operating- We Ve were guided by Columbus Marr who lived in the of the mill He was loyal and heave b About noon we stopped back of a afield afield afield field where the guides guide's mother a widow widow widow wid wid- ow lived and about three miles from the mill As soon as our horses were rested we started for the mill through the timber Umber We had not gone far until we W could hear the throbbing of the engine engine en en- gine writes W. W H. H Craven sergeant Co A Mo Cay of Milton lIlton Iowa in National Tribune We Ve went within 80 so rods of the mill when the lieutenant lieutenant lieutenant lieuten lieuten- ant concealed the command in a thicket and gave us orders to remain quiet until his return He and the guide left T S.- S. S. S I- I u t A 5 1 in Jn an nour litH- litH ing gone inside the rebel camp to a ahouse ahouse ahouse house which was not more than yards from the mill occupied by a Union family As our guide was personally personally personally per per- acquainted with the family and knew he could trust them he had one of the girls go to the mill under the ruse of having some milling done and get all the information she could in regard regard regard re re- re- re gard to the location of their camp and the number of soldiers there which she did The lieutenant called us around him and said Gen Clayton sent me to find out whether or not the rebels were running the mill which they are There are men running and guarding guarding guard guard- ing it there are 70 now at the milland mill milland milland and 30 on a scout between here and Pine Bluffs and have started since noon Two miles south of the mill is their main camp occupied by Infantry and cavalry with two sections sections sec see of artillery I have fulfilled my mission It Is up to you if we go any farther A tall lank fellow tellow by the name of Nichols straightened himself up and said Lieutenant we dont don't want to use ourselves up like we did today without getting one shot All right said the lieutenant mount your horses We Ve were now about 80 rods northeast northeast northeast north north- east of the mill mm and their camp was southwest We made a circuit until until un til we were almost west of their camp and about yards from it it when we halted and the lieutenant told Sergt Smith of Co B to take 12 men of his company and charge the camp and he would take the 14 from Co A and charge the mill and gave me orders to take those left of Co A and not come into the mill yard until all of the themen themen themen men were in The rebels were surprised and did not discover our presence until Sergt ii t tSi Si Kicked Up the Straw and Applied the Torch Smith with his squad rode into their camp and demanded their surrender and opened fire on them Those that did not surrender took to the woods and left their horses and those running run run- ring ning the mill rushed out to see what the commotion was only to find the mill yard In possession o of Co A. A It was then about 5 o'clock in the evening and a heavy rain storm was waa brewing which I have always thought was waa our salvation The Tho lieutenant called us together and gave us orders to set fire to their camp get all the horses ready detail a guard for the prisoners and be ready to march In Inthe inthe the quickest time possible I gathered up a firebrand out of their campfire and started in the first tent in the line and kicked up the straw and applied the tho torch In a few moments we were on the march and by this time the rain was falling in torrents The Tho lieutenant instead of starting towards the Bluffs started on the road to the main rebel camp but only followed It until we were out of sight of the houses that surrounded the mill and then took to the woods again We Vo got into Pine Bluffs tho the next morning about 1 o'clock |