seeing it closing on them every step, the rebels fled before the regiment, taking their artillery away. Two ditches or gullies impassable to cavalry saved it by retarding the progress of the regiment and turning the column, but the rebels were severely punished nevertheless. The road beyond, strewn with dead, ammunition, wagons, and horses, testified it amply. The regiment continued the pursuit and kept annoying the rear until the whole column of the rebel army on the that road had crossed the stream in the valley and cleared the top of the hill two miles beyond the extreme limits of the battle-field. The same evening found the regiment in bivouac beyond Little Santa Fe, a village half in Missouri, half in Kansas, and the next evening say, it within twenty-five miles of Fort Scott, sixty-five miles from Santa Fe, in an advanced position to the support of artillery brough up to the front, ready for an early engagement next morning. The artillery opened at daybreak. At once the Second Arkansas was deployed as skirmishers across a piece of prairie into the timber and brushwood of the Marais des Cygnes, the Second Colorado Cavalry being on the right. Those woods having been visited and cleared the regiment was withdrawn, and in rear of the Second Colorado, to their right, marched in column to the ford of the stream, interrupted by an abatis on the other or opposite bank. The ford was occupied, a few shots only being fired, and the squadrons crossed over and forward. In advancing, a small piece of ordnance was discovered on the right, abandoned by the enemy. (It has since been appropriated as a trophy by another command, though bestowed upon the Second Arkansas by order of General Rosecrans.) Directly after, the advance reported the enemy in front formed in line of battle. The regiment, at most 200 strong, moved up and formed immediately; the Second Colorado having crossed the creek shortly afterward came up also and formed on the left and to the rear of the Second Arkansas, who galloped immediately to the charge. The line of skirmishers of the enemy were sent flying to their line of battle, when the artillery, opening upon the Second Arkansas with fury, checked their advance and compelled them to reform their line, which tye did under, fire, while the Second Colorado, unmoved and behind cover, never pretended to offer a support, which might have won for that regiment glorious results, and which the skirmishers of Gravely, though dismounted, attempted to give, but it was too late. Two hundred men alone could not do what an hour afterward, at the crossing of the Osage, three brigades succeeded in accomplishing and these won laurels and elicited praise for their gallantry. They earned it nobly.

The Third Brigade, after that first charge, had been halted and ordered to rest. In the meantime heavy cannonading and musketry was going on in front at the ford of the Osage. It was the climax of the battle, and at its sound the Third Brigade, with men and horses half starved, jaded, and exhausted, was moved at a gallop to the front. They saw as they passed the enemy's artillery captured, they saw the prisoners, they saw Marmaduke and Cabell (two renowned rebel chiefs) in our hands; it was enough; the Third Brigade was ready for battle. Across a prairie and over a ridge they trot, they run, and form in an immense valley at the foot of the ridge, with other brigades in order of echelon. The Third Brigade occupied the center of the front line, and of this line the Second Arkansas, formed the right center. Forward and along the valley sweeps the long line, then in double column across a stream to another prairie on the right, ten again in line as before and to the charge. Down the prairie to the edge of the woods, and partly across a fenced field, the first line gallops, then as skirmishers