10 a. m.; found the bridge destroyed; a temporary one was constructed, the enemy's skirmishers driven, the command crossed, when the enemy opened with artillery, and was steadily driven toward Independence, which place was taken by a brilliant cavalry charge, in which Catherwood's regiment captured two guns complete. Near a hundred prisoners fell into our hands, and our troops pushed the enemy's rear guard all night. At 8 p. m. Pleasonton reports "All my brigades have been engaged; the enemy have left 40 killed and many sick and wounded in my hands. Heard nothing from Curtis. If Smith can move up in case we get a fight it will be well. Have sent McNeil's brigade to Little Santa Fe. Price is reported intrenched this side of the Big Blue. Fighting still going on with an obstinate rear guard. Let Smith come to this place." Reluctantly General Smith was dispatched to move to Independence, as requested, the messenger reaching him at Chapel Hill as he was putting his column in motion to march there in response to a direct message from General Pleasonton advising him of the posture of affairs.

On the morning of the 23rd Pleasonton began to move on the enemy. At the crossing of the Big Blue, where the fight opened at 7 a. m. and continued until 1 p. m., when Shelby, who had been fighting General Curtis' command, finding Marmaduke and Fagan were giving away, turned on pleasonton and "for a moment shook Sanborn's brigade," but by the skillful use of Thurber's battery, throwing double-shotted grape and canister, and the gallant charging of our troops, they were routed and fled southward, pushed by Generals Pleasonton and Curtis that night beyond Little Santa Fe. General Smith's command arriving at Independence at 5 p. m. was ordered to move that night by a forced march to Hickman Mills, hoping it would strike the enemy in flank while passing that point. Had he been ordered and marched for that point instead of Independence the day before General Smith would have arrived in time to strike the enemy's compact column and train with 9,000 infantry and five batteries. But it was too late. He did not reach the mills until long after not only the enemy's but our own column had passed there. News from the cavalry fronts during the night showed that nothing remained but to push the enemy with our cavalry, allowing the infantry to follow as best it could to act as support in case of possibly reverse to us or re-enforcements which were constantly reported on their way to meet the enemy. On the 24th, with the Kansas troops in advance, we pursued the enemy until within fifteen miles of the Trading Post, when, at General Curtis' request, General Pleasonton's command took the lead and at the end of a sixty-miles' march overtook the rebels about midnight, at the Marais des Cygnes; began skirmishing, and on the 25th, at 4 a. m., opened upon their bivouac with artillery, creating the greatest consternation, following it up by an attack which drove them promptly from the field, leaving in our hands horses, mules, wagons, arms, and some prisoners. Our troops followed them in a running fight until 2 p. m., when they came up with them at the Little Osage Crossing in position, with eight pieces of artillery on their line of battle. With the instinct of a true cavalry general, Pleasonton immediately ordered an attack by Benteen's and Philips' brigades, which by a magnificent charge completely routed them, capturing 8 guns, 2 stand of colors, Major-General Marmaduke, Brigadier-General Cabell, 5 colonels, many other officers, and near 1,000 prisoners, besides wagons, small-arms, &c. Sanborn's brigade, which was one miles and a half behind, and the Kansas troops still farther in the rear, did not arrive in time to take part ion this battle, but Sanborn's brigade led