Extracted from The Official Military History of Kansas Regiments During the War for the Suppression of the Great Rebellion by W. S. Burke. REPORT No. 5 OF EXPEDITION TO CROSS HOLLOWS.

      Pursuant to instructions received direct from Division Headquarters, at one o'clock, A.M., on the 16th of October, 1862, the Second Cavalry, with an effective force of 500 strong, marched to Keitsville, where detailed instructions were received from Colonel William Weer. At sunrise, started for Pea Ridge, or Elk Horn Tavern, reaching there at 12 M. At Keetsville, directions were given to detail an officer and twelve men to escort some paroled prisoners into the enemy's lines.
      Lieutenant S.K. Cross, of A company, was detailed for that duty, and directed to bear a white flag and proceed in the direction of Bentonville until he met the enemy's pickets, and to deliver the prisoners to whoever he should find there, and return towards Keetsville until he struck the trail, and rejoin the command at Elk Horn Tavern. Having performed the duty assigned him, he reported at Regimental Headquarters before the morning of the following day.
      As the command reached Elk Horn Tavern, it encountered the enemy's pickets and drove them back. Strong guards were immediately placed on all the principal roads, the intervals picketed, and the regiment placed in order of battle, and with the exception of picket firing, suffered no interruption.
      Early next morning, Lieutenant Cosgrove and twenty men were detailed and ordered to scout down the Fayetteville road. Lieutenant Lee and fifteen men were directed to scout in the direction of Bentonville. Lieutenant Moore and fifteen men were sent southeast in the direction of White River. Each of these parties went as far as they could, and were driven in. In the afternoon the regiment moved forward three miles to Sugar Creek, where the enemy was again encountered, but retired without making any resistance, and the night was again passed with men lying in line of battle, and in readiness for instant attack. The next morning scouting parties were again sent west and south, and some prisoners were captured, from whom it was ascertained that the main body of the enemy was at Holcomb's Springs, on the Fayetteville road, ten miles south of Cross Hollows, and was preparing for a movement. A deserter from the rebel army gave the information that their force was over 3,000 and consisted of more than one-half infantry. A messenger was immediately sent to Brigadier General Schofield with the above information, and that the second would endeavor to reach Cross Hollows that night-- eleven miles south of Sugar Creek. Six miles south of Sugar Creek a large scouting party was encountered, and an unsucessful attempt was made to ambuscade the advance under command of Captain Hopkins, but failing in that, they opened a brisk fire on our advance. Major Fisk was ordered to form the first battallion in line and attack them, and Lieutenant Stover was directed to give them some canister from his Howitzers. They did not wait for a second round, but fled in great confusion. The Second moved forward cautiously-- could not pursue rapidly, for it was necessary to keep out of a line of skirmishers well to the front and on each flank for it was expected that an ambush was planned, and that the force which had just been encountered was merely a decoy, although it was afterwards ascertained that it consisted of 400 picked men, sent out especially to attack or lie-in-wait for scouting parties from Union forces; but they did not expect to find a party scouting with artillery, and consequently fled at the first fire.
      The regiment reached Cross Hollows just before sunset, and at dark withdrew and took a position a mile back, leaving Lieut. Johnston in command of a strong picket of seventy-five men. During the night the enemy moved up a force of 1,500 infantry and 500 cavalry to within half a mile of Lieutenant Johnston's pickets, and with a large force attacked them and exchanged several volleys, but as the pickets held their ground, the attacking party withdrew, and just before daylight the enemy fell back again below Mudtown. From two deserters, who reported within our lines before sunrise, information was received as to the force of the enemy, and as the command had already gone further south than instructed to go, and with positive orders not to bring on nor risk an engagement with unequal numbers, and considering our force insufficient to successfully engage such superior forc, and not knowing of any reinforcements within twenty-five miles, the regiment did not move forward again until afternoon, but scouting parties were sent out east, west and south, to ascertain if possible whether any attempt was being made to flank us or attack in front. Finding no enemy on either side, the command again moved forward and crossed Cross Hollows, passed through Mudtown--four miles south--and proceeded to within three miles of Holcomb's Springs, drove in the enemy's pickets with the advance guard, captured several of them and a number of stands of arms which were dropped or abandoned by the pickets in their flight. The regiment halted here for an hour or more, and again fell back to the place where it had bivouacked the night before and remained unmolested until morning, when orders were received to return and report to the brigade. It was ascertained that the whole rebel force moved in the direction of Huntsville after their pickets had been driven in south of Mudtown. Although but few men were wounded and none killed, yet the courage of the men was severly tested and not found wanting--they were ready for action on any emergency at every moment for four days and nights, and were almost constantly skirmishing with the enemy. They could have cut off the chances of retreat at almost any time, and hence the test of courage, for every officer and man fully understood the position in which they were placed.

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