ette Counties, I further require that you at once march force beyond the limits of this State. If this proposal is acceded to, I will send an officer to arrange the conditions. I retain the order sent, only to take a copy, after which it will be immediately returned.

I am, sir, obediently,

RICH'D C. VAUGHAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Colonel Adams immediately forwarded to General Vaughan the following reply:

HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH KANSAS VOLUNTEERS,
In the Field, November 27, 1862.

Brigadier-General VAUGHAN;

SIR: Your note is received. All the demands therein made will be complied with at the earliest opportunity, except that portion to negroes. As they voluntarily, I do not see fit to order them out; they are, however, at liberty to do as they choose.

CHAS. W. ADAMS,

Colonel, Commanding.

CHARLES J. LOVEJOY, Adjutant.

In reply to this, Colonel Adams received the following:

Colonel ADAMS:

SIR: Your note is received. The demand relative to negroes be complied with. The matter of disagreement in relation to your orders from General Blunt and General Curtis is a matter which can be more readily settled elsewhere than here.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

RICH'D C. VAUGHAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

P. S.-As it is already late, I must require that you permit no portion of the property and negroes above alluded to to leave your lines.

Colonel Adams replied as follows:

HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH KANSAS VOLUNTEERS,
[In the Field, November 27, 1862.]

Brigadier-General VAUGHAN:

SIR: My guards are out, and I shall follow your order relating to keeping whatever is within my lines here. I am subject to arrest from you, and choose a trial by court-martial rather than turn the negroes out of my camp. I do not do this, believe me, General Vaughan, out of disrespect to you, but because I believe it to be contrary to a general order from the War Department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. W. ADAMS,

Colonel Twelfth Kansas Volunteers.

By request of General Vaughan, Colonel Adams then visited him at his headquarters, and was put in arrest by General Vaughan, and ordered to report to General Curtis, at Saint Louis, on the 15th of December, 1862.

The demands previously made upon Colonel Adams were now made upon Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes, the next in command.

On the morning of the 28th, Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes proceeded to comply with the demand of General Vaughan, except that portion relating to negroes. This being done, the order to march was given. We proceeded but a short distance when the command was halted, and the following conversation took place between Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes and General Vaughan:

General VAUGHAN. If you will turn those slaves out of your lines, you will save time and trouble, for we are strong enough to take them.

Lieutenant-Colonel HAYES. No consideration of personal safety will ever induce me to turn a slave back to his rebel master.

General VAUGHAN. Do you dare to disobey your superior officer?

Lieutenant-Colonel HAYES. I dare do that very thing. If you take those negroes, you must take them by force.