fight a battle-and that point had long been spoken of as one where the enemy intended to make a determined stand-forbade my going farther.

The next day we waited for General Sigel's division to come up. The next we marched to Osage Springs, when we found that the enemy had decamped from Cross Hollow. My division was then moved to that place, Colonel Phelps' regiment of Missouri Volunteers having been assigned to the Second Brigade and Colonel Boyd's regiment relieved. While at Cross Hollow Lieutenant Jones, of the First Iowa Battery, received his commission as captain and took command, relieving Lieutenant Davis. The ammunition of that battery and also the Dubuque battery was defective, the powder being poor, the charges was put up by contractors, and on the day of battle the blood of our soldiers paid over again the unjust debt which had once been paid from the public Treasury.

On the 24th of February an expedition of cavalry and artillery, under General Asboth, was sent to Fayetteville. My cavalry led the charge into the town, capturing several prisoners. During my occupation of Cross Hollow, up to the 5th of March, several parties went out in different directions, Colonel Dodge making two expeditions and Colonel Vandever one, taking a good many prisoners and killing some of the enemy.

On the 5th of March his cavalry appeared in strong force on the Fayetteville road and captured some of our wagons and men which were out foraging. We at the same time received intelligence that he was advancing in force. The general directed me to move back to Sugar Creek, to which place he had ordered, the other divisions and where he intended to fight. I moved that night, but on account of the loss of my wagons was obliged to destroy a few stores and some camp equipage and valuable private baggage.

Battle of the 7th.-Having heard that the enemy had made his appearance on the west of us, General Curtis had called us in consultation on the morning of the 7th about changing front in that direction, when news came from the rear (north) that parties of the enemy were in close vicinity to the Elkhorn Tavern, where our depot of supplies had been placed, together with the provost-marshal's guard and prisoners. The general immediately directed me to send a brigade to that point, and I gave the order to Colonel Dodge, who was present. Elkhorn Tavern was about a mile and a half north of our camp, the ground being smooth and gradually ascending, with open fields on each side of the road from about three-quarters of a mile from camp to within about a hundred yards of the house. The house is situated on the west side of the Springfield and Fayetteville road, at the head of a gorge known as Cross Timber Hollow (the head of Sugar Creek), through which the road runs about 7 miles north towards Keetsville. Behind the house to the west is a rocky hill about 150 feet high, running off in a ridge towards the northwest. In front of the house is a level ridge, on which a road runs towards the east, having on the heads of rugged gorges running down into Cross Timber Hollow. About a half a mile from the tavern on the north side of this road is Clemens' house, with a field mostly on the south side of the road of about 20 acres. About the Elkhorn Tavern is an open space of about 10 acres. With these two exceptions the ground is mostly covered with trees and underbrush, which comes up close to the tavern on the north side. As I left the general