, 1861-11-14
,tC0L. OGLEsBF,S EXPEDETI0N.
Pursuit Of Jed. Thompson-H2rchI
into Bloomfield.

ypEorreEpondence of the Chicsgo Tribune>l
:, CA1Ro, Nov. Il, 1861.
On the third Of this month, q little over
week ago,) an expedition started from Cairo to
oyertaEe and offer battle to the noted bridge
burner, Thompson, sod his band Of wander
ers. Fho were ercamped at. Bloomfield, in
6tod2ard county, Missouri. The force con-
sisted Of portions Of Colonel Reardon's, Osles
bJ's. L8Wle1's, and Wa1lace's commands, and
asection Of Captain schWartz's artlllery-two
-ganE-with two companies Of cs7a1ry, making
joined at Bloomfield BY force from Cape Gil
zardean, and 1t was expected tie whole army
would finally smount to $500 men. Ninety
stTen wagons, with provisions for fifteen
days.: accompanied the expedition, and it bid
nd to result IN % he defeat and and @ expulsion Of
Thompson from the State. Starting from
Cairo at II O'Clock Sunday night on board the
eteamers Memphis, Scott and Chancellor, We
reached Commerce the next morning, having
to lsy still during. most Of the night On ac-
count Of dense fog. At Commerce camp
was made, .snd the forces were soon busily
eDgaEed preparing for On early start the next
morning. During the afternoon, Carson, the
famous scout Captain, with three companions,
rode out to Benton, eight miles Distant 4
place rendered notorious BY having al Its in-
habitants in the secession army. 4 charge
WAS made through the streets BY the little
!: band, snd four prisoners were taken, one OF
whom WEB an aTtilleryman IN Tnompson's
fc. -eb, and dressed in their uniform Of red
shirt and grey cap. Another Of those
opportunity, put spurs to bis horse and dash
ed of over q hill near BY. He Was pursued
and shot by Carson after q chase Of mile,
On Tuesday morning the little army took up
their line of march on the road to Bloomfield,
:and ercsmped that night at Hunters farm,
49,
zionist. Poultry and stock paid the forfeit OF
his secession proc2iGitie5, and being subjected
to rapid cooking PROCESS, served the Tolun
f-teefs for the next days march. Two soldiers
returning to their homes from Bloomfield,
were taken prisoners during the afternoon,
each having musket snd army blanket, but
no uniform. The houses along the route ware
| iobabited only by women ana children, the
naen icing absent and fighting FIR the cause
t that Las already bughted their homes and
freEde1ed that portion Of Missouri nothing bat
3 de- olate waste. Early next morning the
march vas resumed, and juat ut evening
rtscbed the bank Of Little River, whereit was
thought the enemy might dispute the passage.
None, hoWeyee, appeared and aescoutl1g
party, accompanied by Carson, were sent
acIosf snd through Niger Wool Swamp
to huaning Slough bridge, furr miles beyond,
/ which it Was expected The enemy might at.
temptto burn. TIE a1mJ, meanwhile, pre-.
| pared 70 camp On Little River As the scout.
ing pstty approached the bridge, they dtaooy.
i e<ee great smoke and fame proceeding from
I r.en. f,e opposlre etdB Carson d once sprung
forward, cheering his men, and in an instant
The blazing timers were gained, but the
enemy had fed An hours hard work ex
npe1tsbed tho flames, and another hoar in
ed transit over it easy.. Camp presented nc
particular scenes Of interest, but 6
most unwar1anted and disorderIy system
Of firing was induleed in by ths
soldiers, who wandered Off Into the woods and
they pleased. If the country for miles AROUND
we're not aware Of cur approach the fa1lt Ger
taia1Y lay In their ears An early start nex'
81 led the soldiers through marshes oge
which road had to be formed for the wag
ons. On account Of this, night found tht
on the banks Of the Castor, shallow stream
easily forded. During the day mes3enge
arrived from Bloomfield With dispatches ie
Col Ogleeby, informing him that Col. Purcell
had arrived there the previous night, from
CaRs a Gttardsau, { nth his regtm4eeut' 4e' Taomg
ten miles distant. Camping On the Ca.
tor, the army next day at noon entere'
Bloomfield. This place is the county rest q
; stoddard;ccunty, end hss had, In timeeof peace
J twelve hundred tnhabitnnts now there ar
not two hundred there The town is desolate
/
late tenants having been frightened into
hasty flight BY terrible stoiies Of abolition
, outrages- Women would fall upon thef
!, Enees and beg plteously for life, f1m'y belles
ing the Union troops were species Of MOI
eter too horrible and crnel to respect eithe
: innocence Of help1essness. 4 eadder Sigh
: tEan that part Of Missouri presents, could No
be imagined. No papers, no books, and th
; 'gnorant classes who bear the heat an
burden ofthe war do not, in ee7en cases OF
| Of ten, have any ether idea but that they al
=, defending their homes from destruction an
. their families from violence. Thompson an
bis underlings have long been their oracles
End found in ignorant audiences fitting mat
: ris1 to shape their own base purposes. In I
: section Of the country, through the whole I
.. Missouri, are Eecess on and ignorance go ua
Se1sally combined and prevalent IS In the '
cinitJ Of Bloomfield. BrshHhacsing" is Il
:, system of warfare indu1ged in, aud Thorn
!. !. scn's amy will never fight except from e1
bush. Col Oglesby's conmand camped th
q | light Just south OF the town, aud it was Il
in1entior to stsrt next morning on the s
: Louis rosd in pursuit Of him of Proclamatie
. . fame. During the evening, however, 0 col
!! rier arrived, giEing an acco1nt OF the bstt
: At Belmont, and ordering a return. Acco
: dinklg at daylight the little army took Il
), rcaa to Cape Girazdeau, where they arrive
= without adventure, and to-day are safe
!. in their camps st this goint. Hal not Il
: command been obliged to return az it di
q Thompson would have been overtsken
driven 20 far that he could not easily retul
to his old quarters.