"The History of the 13th Illinois Cavalry by Major Frederick Behlendorf.”
“On August 7th 1862 we saddled up and made a raid to Van Buren to meet Coffee's gang, which we did, charging and routing them, with a loss of 2 killed, 5 wounded and and 16 prisoners on the Rebel side. All their arms were broken up and the town of Van Buren set afire and burned to the ground, this being a regular rebel headquarters. Shortly after our return to Greenville we went on another raid to Barnesville, scattering the rebels wherever found and burning the town of Barnesville likewise for the same reasons already given.”
I don't know how long after "Shortly after" is, but it sounds like there was a lot of burning going on in the area all during August and September, 1862.
From the OR we find:
Report of Col. Sempronius H. Boyd, Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry.
GREENVILLE, Mo., August 12, 1862.
COLONEL: I went to Van Buren, Carter County, and surprised 6 rebels, killing 2, capturing 3, and running the other one off; burned 1 mill and 3 houses (soldiers did this without orders); contrabanded 7 horses, 1 wagon and team, the driver (a negro) taking to the brush; captured a rebel mail from McBride’s camp in Oregon County going to Potosi, Mo. McBride has gone to Batesville to organize, and tells his men he intends taking Greenville very soon. He has 2,000 poorly armed; many without arms. The purport of all the letters tends to this information. We were (that is, myself and orderly) fired upon by 5 butternuts from a hill. No harm done. I arrived to-day.
I am, most respectfully,
your obedient servant,
S. H. BOYD, Colonel, Commanding.