admonished us that the enemy was making an effort to cut off our return. The darkness of the night favored us, and by taking a more westerly route than we had traveled in the day we escaped this force and also that commanded by Jeff. Thompson, who, returning from Sedalia laden with spoil, placed his men, 2,000 strong, in ambush on the road we had passed over in the morning to intercept our return.

On the 17th marched to Fisher's Creek, in Pettis County, and camped and remained there until the 19th, when we marched to Boonville, in Saline County. Here you assumed command of the First Brigade, of which my regiment formed a part, which from the time of leaving Jefferson City had, by order of General Sanborn, been under the command of Colonel John F. Philips, Seventh Cavalry Missouri State Militia. On the 20th we marched to Lewis' plantation, in La Fayette County. On the 21st marched to the Sni, eight miles southwest of Lexington. On the 22nd marched to Independence, arriving there in the afternoon; I was immediately ordered to the front with my regiment at a gallop and to advance upon the enemy on the Kansas City road. After moving about half a mile from the town my advance was fired upon; my regiment was then dismounted, and all, except one company held in reserve, advanced against the enemy. It soon became apparent that the enemy in large force was posted in the timber that skirts the southwest portion of the town and held the fences and hedge in front of his position, and were attempting to flank my regiment on the right and left. This made it necessary to extend my lines to near three quarters of a mile in length. I now discovered that the enemy was increasing his forces and that my regiment was in imminent danger of being overpowered and cut to pieces. I immediately sent messengers to you with the information, and about this time I sent forward the company held in reserve to support the left in peril. After considerable delay, for which you were not responsible, I sent other messengers to you, and still others, in relation to our condition. After near one hour the Fourth Missouri State Militia appeared upon the ground, and shortly afterward a battalion of the Seventh Missouri State Militia, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Crittenden, who, assigned by Neill's battalion, gallantly charged the enemy and drove him from his positions. As these respective commands arrived I sent them to the left, just in time to prevent disaster, and where up to this moment my gallant men, under the command of the heroic Neill, had maintained the protracted and unequal contest, while Mullins and Burris with their brave battalions held the overpowering force at bay on the right and in the center. In the meantime the enemy placed several pieces of artillery in position and were shelling my men furiously over the entire field. Shortly afterward you arrived with two pieces of artillery and opened upon the enemy, and about the same time the remainder of the Seventh Missouri State Militia, under the command of Colonel Philips, also arrived and supported the artillery. During all this time the town of Independence was occupied in force by Federal soldiers, well supplied with artillery, and yet for near one hour my regiment wit forlorn hope battled against fearful odds, perhaps ten times their numbers.

The fight continued until sunset, when the enemy retreated toward the Blue, pursued by my regiment, assisting the advance of Colonel Winslow's brigade, and continued to press his rear in the darkness of the night, encountering at short intervals heavy volleys of musketry from the almost concealed enemy, who slowly and stubbornly retreated. My men having traveled forty miles, and been engaged with the enemy since about 3 p. m., withdrew from the contest, and pursuant to orders remounted and moved forward with the brigade. The column continued