The Fifth Illinois Cav prisoners spoken of in this report number about 81-89 men captured during an ambush at the Clairborn McAlpin plantation, south of Helena on 22 Oct 1862. Corley, Rutherford, and Chrisman, with about 150 Confederates ambushed a Fifth Illinois foraging party at the plantation, capturing most of the foragers and killing 5, while the remaining 50-60 cavalrymen escaped. I do not know how they could have fudged the numbers so badly in this report.

The ambush can be found in my history of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry: The Prairie Boys go to War: The Fifth Illinois Cavalry 1861-1865, Southern Illinois Press, 2013. It is for sale now, but won't be mailed out until 18 Jan. Available at the SIU press website and any online book store, including Amazon, B & N.