with this road. The country is rough and thickly timbered, and the streams bordered by precipitate banks, which render it generally impassable for cavalry and artillery. I divided the forces, distributing them so as to form a line more or less continuous, according to danger from the Missouri River, to the crossing of the Blue, near Hickman Mills, a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles. Roads on the west side were convenient for concentrating these forces, and with the immense display of abatis and other field-works which had been erected under the supervision of General Deitzler, Colonel Blair, and my staff officers, I was ready to receive the enemy on the 22nd. I assigned General Blunt to the command of the right wing, including all south of the road, and to General Deitzler the left wing, which includes all north of it. Militia, volunteers, artillery, and a considerable colored force which had been collected by Captains Hinton and Rafety, amounting, altogether, to about 15,000, were thus arranged, resolved to check or defeat the long continued progress of Price's army of 30,000. For his officers and men, taken prisoners, generally reported the enemy's force at from 25,000 to 37,000, and boasted of constant accessions by volunteering and conscription. On my arrival at the Big Blue I telegraphed you as to my conflict at the Little Blue and my designs for the 22nd, and also telegraphed General Rosecrans as follows:

HEADQUARTERS,
Big Blue, October 21, 1864 - 5 p. m.

General ROSECRANS:

I am confident I can stop Price at this crossing, and hope you will come up in his rear and left. He cannot get out by Hickman Mills. If you can get that position we will bag Price, if I succeed, as I hope to do. my losses have been considerable, but my troops are in good order, and ready to make a stand at this place.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

He telegraphed me of same date as follows:

CAMP NEAR COOK'S STORE, October 21, 1864 - 1 p. m.

Major-General CURTIS:

Our cavalry reached Lexington at 10 a. m. this morning. The infantry will reach this evening and push forward. Rear division left Sedalia yesterday morning. Orders will be sent to push the enemy to the utmost.

W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

During the morning of the 22nd the enemy approached General Deitzler's wing and drove in our pickets at an early period, but finding the army in that quarter too strong he avoided an attack. Colonel Ford sent forward a battalion to skirmish on the main road, but the enemy found our center also too strong, and signal officers reported a movement of the enemy southward, evidently designed to flank us. I moved my headquarters back to the intersection of roads bearing from Hickman Mills and sent a dispatch to the extreme right as follows:

SATURDAY, October 22, 1864 - 9 a. m.

General GRANT,

Commanding Militia, Near Hickman Mills:

Price is making very feeble demonstrations in front. Look out for your position. Send scouts out on road toward Pleasant Hill, and also toward Independence, to see if he is moving on my flank. Send me report every thirty minutes.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

I also sent my aides, Major McKenny and Lieutenant Roberts, to give warning to the right of General Blunt's right wing, but before they reached General Grant the intermediate ford at Colonel Jenni-