As soon as I was their position, I formed our forces on an elevation, and planted our artillery so as to command their position. Immediately after this the Kansas men broke ranks and stacked their arms, displaying the United states flag, whereupon a correspondence ensued between General Vaughan and Colonel [C. W.] Adams, in command of the Kansas forces, being the Twelfth Kansas Volunteers, a copy of which is herewith presented.* Before the correspondence closed, night had set light in the morning, they were permitted to get quarters for the night at the different farm houses surrounding the position occupied by the forces during the day. During the night Colonel Adams was placed under arrest for disobedience of orders, and the command devolved upon the second in command, reported to be Lieutenant-Colonel [J. E.] Hayes. thus matters stood until morning. Our forces consisted of detachments of my regiment, First Cavalry, Missouri State Militia; Second Battalion Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, under the command of Captain [R.] Smith; La Fayette Enrolled Missouri Militia, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel [J. W.] Black, and Colonel Penick's command, numbering in all about 450 effective men, with three pieces of artillery. The Kansas forces numbered about 300 effective men.

At sunrise in the morning our forces again reoccupied the position of the evening before. Shortly after this the Kansas troops sent within our lines about 20 horses, and resumed their line of march toward Kansas. We had, however, taken the precaution to station a part of our forces in their advance, thus putting them on the offensive, and making them responsible for a collision, if one ensued, by their attempt to force our lines. As soon as they began their march we began the pursuit. Thus finding themselves surrounded, upon the demand of an officer, specially detailed for the duty, they delivered up all property claimed as belonging to citizens of Missouri, including negroes, after which they resumed their march to Kansas. The property turned over by them to General Vaughan consisted of about 100 horses and mules, 40 negroes, 6 ox-teams, and 1 two-horse team, loaded with household goods of great variety. This property was brought with us several miles as we returned. The negroes were turned out of the lines, and the property placed in the hands of discreet citizens, by direction of General Vaughan, to be delivered to the owners, upon application. Our forces continued their march, arriving at this post at about 8 p. m. on the 28th instant. Colonel [J. A.] Barr, of the Ray Enrolled Missouri Militia, came up to us with a re-enforcement of about 100 men, while the property was being delivered, and returned with us to this post.

After the arrest of Colonel Adams, Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes, being in command of the Twelfth Kansas, placed the major of said regiment under arrest, and was afterward arrested himself, for disobedience of orders, by General Vaughan. This placed the Twelfth Kansas under command of its senior captain. As far as I know or believe, the expedition of the Twelfth Kansas into this State was not in pursuit of guerrillas or other military forces of the enemy, no such forces being in the counties of La Fayette and Jackson at the time, and had not been for some time before. From the best evidence I could obtain, much of the property returned by the Twelfth Kansas to General Vaughan was taken by them from Union men. It is proper to state, however, that I was informed in some instances they had, to some extent, respected the rights

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*See pp. 822-824.

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