On the 4th of November, 1861, the regiment was ordered top proceed to Benton Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo., where it arrived on the 6th. Before leaving the State it had-by the persistent effort and energy of Colonel Bussey-been provided with the necessary camp equipage and horses, but did not receive arms until its arrival at Benton Barracks, and then was compelled to take the field armed only with sabers and revolvers. The carbine, or revolving rifle, so necessary for the complete armament of a cavalryman, was
not supplied until the regiment had been in active service for a long time.
On the 12th of December, 1861, the Second Battalion, consisting of four companies, under command of Major H. C. Caldwell, was ordered to Jefferson City, Mo. Owing to the fact that this battalion did not rejoin the other eight companies of the regiment for nearly two years during which time it performed most important and arduous service, the compiler finds it impossible to give a connected
history of the operations of the regiment as a complete organization; he will, therefore, proceed to give an account of the operations of the battalion which was the first to take the field, covering the time until the regiment was reunited at Benton, Ark., early in October, 1863; and the description of the operations of the other two battalions, covering the same period of time, will then be given, followed by the operations of the regiment as a whole. The official report of Major Caldwell, covering the period to October 28, 1862, is here given in full:

Headquarters Second Battalion, Third Iowa Cavalry,
Camp near Lebanon, Mo., Oct. 28,1862
To N. B. Baker, Adjutant General, State of Iowa.

General: I herewith transmit to you a memorandum of the service of the Second Battalion, Third Iowa Cavalry. This battalion composed of Company E, Captain George Duffeld; Company F, Captain B. F. Crail, since resignation of Captain A. M. Robinson; Company G, Captain E. Mayne; Company 14, Captain Jesse Hughes, under my command, was ordered into the field from Benton
Barracks, December 12,1861, proceeded to Jefferson City, and from thence to Boonville, Glasgow, and into the country adjacent. In the course of this expedition, one hundred and seventy-three kegs of powder were captured from the enemy. On December 25th, were stationed at Fulton, Callaway Co., Mo. And were engaged constantly during the winter and ensuing spring in scouting, capturing
and dispersing rebels and rebel gangs, and securing quantities of ammunition from the enemy which, had be secreted for future use. In the spring detachments of my command were stationed in the counties of Callaway, Audrain and Monroe. In the forepart of the ummer these counties were constituted a sub-district under my command.
On the 31st day of May, I proceeded with detachments of Companies G and F, under command of Lieutenants McCrary and Hartman, respectively, to attack a rebel camp on Salt River. At the first intimation of our approach, the rebels fled precipitately; we wounded several, captured all their horses, camp equipage, and part of their arms. Our casualties were two men, of Company G,
wounded. On the 22nd day of July, 1862 detachments of Companies F and G, under command of Lieutenants Stidger and Hartman with sixty men, encountered the rebel Porter three hundred strong at Florida, in Monroe County; notwithstanding the great disparity in numbers, the detachment fought the rebels gallantly for one hour, when they were forced to fall back upon the post of Paris; three rebels were killed, and many wounded. Our casualties were twenty-two men wounded and two taken prisoners. On the 24th day of July, 1862, with one hundred men,
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