we went to them, all were more or less burned and [the wagon] almost entirely consumed. The drummer-boy, a very interesting and intelligent lad, was shot and thrown under the wagon, and when the fire reached his clothes it must have brought returned consciousness, as he had crawled a distance of 30 yards, marking the course by bits of burning clothes and scorched grass, and was found dead with all his clothes burned off except the portion between his back and the ground as he lay upon his back. A number of the bodies were brutally mutilated and indecently treated. Being satisfied that Lieutenant Pond could hold the camp against their force, I took two of the men and started out on the prairie in search of General Blunt, Major Curtis, or any others I could find, and in about an hour after succeeded in hearing of the general's safety and learned also that Major Curtis was supposed to be a prisoner, as his horse had been shot from under him. I learned this from a wounded soldier that had concealed himself in the grass while the enemy had passed by him; and just then observing a deserted buggy and horse, I placed him in it with a man to take care of him, and they reached the camp in safety. The enemy were still in plain sight, and remained on the prairie till about 4 o'clock, when they marched south in a body. General Blunt and Major Curtis had tried to stop the flight of our troops from the start, and had several very narrow escapes in doing so, as the enemy were close upon them, and finally the general succeeded in collecting about 10 men, and with these he worried the enemy, attacking them in small parties, and, when pursued by too large a force, falling back until they turned, and then in turn following them, so that at no time was he out of sight of the enemy, and most of the time close enough to worry and harass them. As they withdrew from the field, he searched fro and took care of the wounded, and remained upon the ground till they were all taken in and cared for, and then went into camp.

The ground on which the fight took place in rolling prairie, extending west a long distance, covered with grass, and intersected with deep ravines and gulleys, on the banks of which grow willow bushed, sufficient to conceal any difficulty in crossing, but not sufficient to protect from observation; and in retreating, many of our men were overtaken at these ravines, and killed while endeavoring to cross. Major Curtis had become separated from the general, and while riding by the side of Lieutenant Pierce his horse was shot and fell. All supposed he was taken prisoner by the enemy, being close upon them, and Lieutenant Pierce saw him alive in their hands. The next day his body was found where his horse had fallen, and he was, without doubt, killed after having surrendered. Thus fell one of the noblest of all the patriots who have offered up their lives for the cause of their country. Major H. Z. Curtis was a son of Major-General Curtis, and served with his father during his memorable campaign through Arkansas, and was present with him at the battle of Pea Ridge, where he did good service as aide to his father. When General Curtis took command of the Department of the Missouri, the major remained with him as assistant adjutant-general on his staff, and when General Curtis was relieved of that command, the major sought for and obtained an order to report to General Blunt, as assistant adjutant-general, and in that position had done much toward regulating and systematizing the business of district headquarters of Kansas and the frontier; and on General Blunt's determining to take the field, Major Curtis accompanied him with alacrity, parting with his young and affectionate wife at Fort Scott, on the 4th of October, and met his horrible fate at Baxter Springs, on Tuesday, October 7. All