About 4 p. m. on the following day, October 6, the enemy commenced skirmishing with my pickets on the Bolton Ferry road, but fell back when stoutly resisted. At 7 o'clock on the following morning the enemy made an attack on this road in the heavy force. The regiments of my brigade, with the exception of the Sixth and Eighth Cavalry Missouri State Militia, had been moved into town and assigned to their positions as indicated by General Fisk, who had now assumed command. Colonel Gravely, Eighth Missouri State Militia, was assigned to he command of the two regiments left at and beyond the Moreau on this road, with instructions to fall back slowly, fighting, before the enemy. Colonel Gravely maneuvered his line handsomely, and punished the enemy very severely beyond and at the Moreau, and from the Moreau tot he Fair Grounds, upon a road leading in upon our left, commanded by General Brown. I therefore requested General Brown to relieve the two regiments of my command, which had now been engaged over four hours, at a point abut a quarter of a mile south of the Fair Grounds, that I might move them to their positions in the line before the engagement should become general. A regiment, or part of a regiment, of infantry came forward to take the place of the cavalry. This regiment seemed to be inexperienced and was badly managed, and broke and fled upon the withdrawal of the cavalry, both infantry and cavalry sustaining some loss in the movement. The enemy, whose main column, not yet deployed, was now moving in full view down the road, seemed to take great courage and rushed on rapidly. The main column was now in easy range of my artillery, and I immediately sent orders to Captain Sutter to open fire with his guns (12-pounder Napoleons) upon it, and after a few shots the enemy halted and then fell back behind the crest of a ridge. His column was soon visible, moving past our center, about one mile in our front, covered by a long line of battle. It was then supposed that he was moving a portion of his force to our right, and making preparations for a general attack all along our lines. The enemy made no further attack during the day, and no demonstration during the night, and this induced the belief that he was retreating.

At sunrise on the following morning I directed Colonel Phelps, Second Arkansas Cavalry, to advance with one battalion of his command and attack that portion of the enemy's line still visible in our front, which order was obeyed with the greatest promptness. The enemy skirmished pretty heavily at first, but upon by a charge being made with two squadrons mounted, he broke and fled, pursued for nearly two miles by the charging force. In this affair the enemy lost 1 man killed and the usual proportion of wounded. Our loss was 1 man wounded. The results of this reconnaissance were immediately communicated to the general commanding. Shortly afterward I received orders from Major-General Pleasonton, who had now assumed command of all the U. S. forces at Jefferson City, to pursue the enemy at once and as far as practicable, with all the available cavalry. A portion of our cavalry was already in pursuit, under orders from General Fisk, and the balance of the force was immediately ordered to march. A full account of my operations under this order is included in my report to Major-General Pleasonton.*

On the ---- day of November I received the telegraphic order of the general commanding the department to take command of the troops composing General McNeil's brigade and Lieutenant-Colonel Benteen's brigade, and with this force and all the available cavalry force of the

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*See p. 385.

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