tain Kehoe's command wa sin the saddle, giving notice thereof to Major Gower. Receiving no answer he started slowly on the trail, giving ample time for the First Iowa Cavalry to follow up. The captain found that Quantrill had passed Pleasant Hill, leaving it to the right, all the time keeping within the brush, when suddenly, about 4 miles west of Pleasant Hill he came upon Quantrill's pickets, and immediately dispatched another messenger to the major, informing him that he was about to engage their advance, and at the same time requesting re-enforcements as fast as possible.

In driving in their pickets he was led by them half a mile farther on to a house in the brush. Here he found the marauders encamped. (This house belonging to a Union man, they were making preparations to burn it). Supposing that this was but a part of the force, it was his intention to surprise them, and immediately ordering a charge, he succeeded in penetrating them, when all of a sudden he found himself encircled by the whole gang, consisting of Quantrill's, Up. Hays', and Houx's men, receiving their fire from all sides, at which time his horse was shot from under him, and he himself receiving a ball in his right shoulder. He engaged them for about half an hour. Then deeming it more prudent to dismount the men, he withdrew them from the assault and secured the horses, himself mounting another horse and bringing up the men as skirmishers on foot for the purpose of renewing the attack. It was at this period that he discovered Major Gower's command in the distance. He sent a report of the engagement to the major and also of the marauders' position. He then instead of attacking in a solid body, deployed a part of his command as skirmishers, to cut off, if possible, the retreat of the marauders, keeping the rest with his as an attacking party. Soon the engagement was renewed furiously. Again the captain's horse was shot from under him, and he was compelled to lead his men on foot. This time they drove the bushwhackers to the four winds, killing and wounding them by the dozen, the Iowa cavalry simultaneously attacking and repulsing them, at another point. After an engagement of a little more than one hour the firing ceased, the marauders being driven by small squads in different directions into the thickest of the brush, carrying, at the same time, the most of their killed and wounded in advance of them. The whole engagement took place in a timber, with a dense undergrowth, and it was almost an impossibility to discover their dead bodies, and they may not, perhaps, be found until the crows and buzzards hover over them. The killed and wounded of the captain's commanding were all recovered. The killed were buried in Pleasant Hill, with military honors, and the wounded were conveyed in vehicles to the military hospital at Warrensburg. The report of the killed and wounded is attached below.*

In conclusion, the captain also states that the officers and men, without any exception, fought and behaved during the engagement with the utmost bravery, and his chief difficulty was in keeping the men from heedlessly exposing themselves. Danger seemed to be a thing unknown to them. Each eager to share in the fight, they fought with a vigor that cannot be praised too highly.

Among those who particularly distinguished themselves were Lieutenant William White, of Company C; Corpl. E. White, of same company; Sergeant Halleck, of Company D, and Sergt. Christian Andre, of Company A. Private William Schmelzer, of Company A, who, having

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* Nominal list omitted.

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