he was only the advance. His persistent following them up doubtless riveted this conclusion in their minds, as they hurried through their wholesale work of slaughter, and then moved off slowly to the south. General Blunt hovered near them until near night, and then returned to the melancholy work of caring for the wounded and collecting the dead. But few were left alive, as their evident intention was to kill all. The bodies of Major Curtis and Lieutenant Farr were not found until the next day.

Lieutenant Pond is entitled to great credit for his gallant defense of his camp, and Lieutenant Pierce also, who strove hard to rally the flying soldiers. But the men seemed struck by a sudden and uncontrollable panic, and I met many of them within 10 miles of Fort Scott as I moved out with my force. The enemy left between 20 and 30 dead on the field, and as their wounded were taken away with some ambulances and buggies they captured, it is impossible to state the number.

Disastrous as this engagement has been, it would undoubtedly have been as bad, if not worse, if General Blunt and his little force had not been near. In that event, a more careful and combined attack would have been made on Pond's camp, which, with the force around it, must have finally succumbed, and every person there would undoubtedly have bee put to death.

The names and number (accurately) of our killed and wounded will be forwarded ins a subsequent report.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. W. BLAIR,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Colonel OLIVER D. GREENE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri.

Numbers 3. Report of Major Benjamin S. Henning, Third Wisconsin Cavalry.

BAXTER SPRINGS, CHEROKEE NATION,

October 7, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report the following facts in regard to the fight at Baxter Springs, Cherokee Nation, October 6, 1863:

On Sunday, the 4th, General Blunt, with the following members of his staff, viz: Major H. Z. Curtis, assistant adjutant-general; Major B. S. Henning, provost-marshal of district; Lieutenant Tappan, Second Colorado Volunteers, aide-de-camp; Lieutenant Asa W. Farr, judge-advocate, together with the brigade band, and all clerks in the different departments of district headquarters, and also an escort consisting of 40 m en of Company I, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, under Lieutenant H. D. Banister; 45 men of Company A, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, under Lieutenant [R. H.] Pierce, and the whole escort under the command of Lieutenant J. G. Cavert, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and a train of 8 wagons, transporting the effects of district headquarters, company effects, &c., left Fort Scott for Fort Smith, Ark., and on that day marched 6 miles, and camped. On the succeeding day marched 34 miles, and camped on Cow Creek; and on Tuesday, the 6th instant, marched from Cow Creek to within a distance of 80 rods of camp at Baxter Springs, Cherokee Nation, and halted at 12 m.m for the train to close up, as it had become somewhat scattered. The halt continued about fifteen minutes, and the