son's point, called Byram's Ford, had been attacked and forced, so the enemy had penetrated to the west side. News of this attack at Byram's Ford reached me at 2 p. m., and I immediately directed General Blunt to hasten re-enforcements to that point, and also sent similar orders to General Deitzler, whose left wing was no longer menaced.

Colonel Jennison resisted the enemy for some time, but ultimately and before re-enforcements reached him had to fall back in good order before overwhelming numbers. This break in my line severed the militia that were under General Grant, near Hickman Mills, and many of them were captured, including a 24-pounder cannon, which belonged to the State. Meantime the re-enforcements ordered to Byram's Ford joined Colonel Jennison's Forces and fought the advancing column of the enemy till dark, when our forces drove back the advance some distance. But the enemy had penetrated and broken my extreme right flank, held Hickman Mills and all of the Blue south of Byram's Ford, and taken position south of my headquarters and Kansas City, to which point I now moved my headquarters. Only a small portion of my troops had been engaged when night closed the scene and displayed the enemy's camp-fires over a vast field south and south-east of Westport.

Some of the details of this day's contest are thus presented by my comrades in command. General Blunt says:

Early on the morning of the 22nd I directed the First Brigade, under Colonel Jennison, to proceed up the Big Blue, a distance of four miles, to Byram's Ford to defend the crossing at that point, and for the same purpose I sent the Second Brigade, under colonel Moonlight, to Hinkles' Ford, about two miles above the main crossing. At about 9 a. m. a small force of the enemy advanced on the main road from Independence to Kansas City, which proved to be only a feint to divert attention from the movement on our right flank in the direction of Byram's Ford. At 1 o'clock I heard artillery firing on my extreme right, from which I inferred that Colonel Jennison's command had been attacked, and immediately dispatched a courier to Colonel Moonlight to re-enforce him with the Second Brigade, but before Colonel Moonlight had time to arrive on the ground Colonel Jennison was forced to retire and the enemy had flanked our position on the Big Blue, and was crossing that stream in force. The First and Second Brigades kept upon their flank, and when near the State line attacked the right of their column, turned his flank, and punished him quite severely, the fighting continuing until dark. Finding the position of our army at the Big Blue flanked by the enemy, and in the absence of superior authority, I directed Major-General Deitzler, in command of the Kansas State Militia, to withdraw his command to Kansas City, and dispatched orders to Colonels Jennison, Moonlight, and Ford to remain with their commands in front of the enemy in the vicinity of Westport.

Major-General Deitzler reports:

The entire Army of the Border was now in position on and along the north side of Big Blue, occupying every passable crossing of that stream from its mouth to Hickman Mills, a distance of about fifteen miles, and presenting a formidable appearance. Price's army entered Independence on the 21st, and on the morning of the 22nd his cavalry made demonstrations at several points in front of my position (the left wing), in several instances driving the pickets in under the cover of our artillery. About noon, having received reliable information that a heavy column of the enemy was moving against the right of our line, i ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, commanding the Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, with two pieces of artillery, to re-enforce that position. Subsequently the twelfth Kansas State Militia and Captain McLain's battery were also withdrawn from my line to re-enforce the right under General Blunt. The enemy having forced a passage of the Big Blue at Byram's Ford about 3 p. m., and my position being threatened from the rear, I quietly withdrew my command in perfect order, and retired to Kansas City in obedience to instructions from Major-General Blunt. Just as the troops commenced moving from our works on the Big Blue a detachment of rebel cavalry made a furious dash upon the left center of my line, occupied by the Nineteenth Regiment Kansas State Militia, under Colonel Hogan, who received the charge with the greatest coolness and gallantry, completely routing the enemy, killing 12 and capturing 10, without loss on our side.