their night fighting, Brigadier General E. B. Brown was ordered to move his brigade forward and attack the enemy at daybreak and keep pressing him vigorously, as we would be supported. Not finding any attack being made I went to the front and found Brown's brigade on the road in no proper condition for attacking, nor were any preparations being made to do so, as far as I could perceive. Colonel Philips, of the Seventh Missouri State Militia, was therefore placed in command of the brigade, and this brigade, with Winslow's, were ordered immediately into action, with Sanborn's brigade supporting. I had ordered McNeil's brigade to proceed from Independence to Little Santa Fe the night before, and reach the latter point by daylight. General McNeil failed to obey this order, but came up to the Big Blue, some five or six miles above the point at which the rest of the division were fighting, about 12 m. on the 23d, and instead of vigorously attacking the enemy's wagon train, which was directly in front of him with a small escort, he contented himself with some skirmishing and cannonading, and then train escaped. The battle of the Big Blue, at Byram's Ford, was very obstinately consented by the enemy for several hours, but they were finally driven from their position to the prairie on the Harrisonville road beyond the Big Blue. It was then about 1 o'clock in the day, and the enemy were contending with the Kansas forces near Westport. My appearance on the prairie caused them to retreat on the Fort Scott road, and in passing they formed to attack my position. A body of their cavalry charged the right of Sanborn's brigade, and shook it considerably, but a few discharges from a battery, double-shotted with canister, soon caused them to halt, and finally beat a hasty retreat. Shortly after this Generals Curtis and Blunt overtook me in the pursuit and headquarters were made at Little Santa Fe that night. The next morning General Curtis' command started in advance and marched to West Point, where, finding that the enemy ad halted at the Trading Post, on the Osage River, some twelve miles in advance, I was requested by General Curtis to move to the front with my troops. I did so, and attacked the enemy at daylight on the morning of the 25th of October, shelling his camp. He left in great haste, dropping trees in the road to bar my progress, and fighting a running contest to the Osage River, where his main force was posted awaiting us. The rapidity of the march was such that but two brigades, Winslow's (then commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Benteen) and Philips' brigades, had reached the front; but knowing the importance of time to the enemy I did not hesitate to attack, and after a brilliant charge the enemy was routed by these troops, and eight guns were captured. Major-General Marmaduke and Brigadier-General Cabell surrendered, and near 1,000 men were taken prisoners, and the enemy began to burn a large number of wagons in his train. The road for the next fifteen miles was strewn with muskets and arms of all kinds, which were secured by General Curtis' command in the rear; also numerous wagons still burning were passed. Late in the evening I again came up with the enemy and attacked him with artillery and cavalry, and that night he blew up his ammunition train. The exhausted condition of my men and horses, having marched near 100 miles in two days and a night, and fighting the last thirty miles, required that I should proceed to the vicinity of Fort Scott for forage and subsistence. All the conflicts and battles that took place between Price's army and my command were in the limits of the State of Missouri, and they were so demoralizing to that army as to render its disorganization complete by the time it crossed the Arkansas River; and had it been possible for General Curtis' command to have co-operate with mine, after crossing