for escorting the prisoners, and in view of your indisposition recommend that instead of taking leave of absence, to which your certificate of the surgeon entitles you, that you will proceed yourself in the same direction, taking a general charge of their proper care. I prefer they should stop at Leavenworth, as an exchange will probably by made and delivery through Arkansas may be most convenient and preferable; besides I will try to make immediate terms of exchange with Price, so as to stop the cruel march which Price's prisoners are now performing. I am sorry, general, that I cannot have you longer in this interesting and eventful campaign, but hope we may meet again and revive the incidents of march and battle that reward such signal success during our associations in this campaign. I highly approve of your efforts to maintain a good understanding between troops of different States and different departments, and assure you it will be heartily reciprocated by me. As to the matter of Colonel Ritchie, I hope you will authorize his discharge and I will guarantee no further consideration of the subject will be entertained. He belongs to another department, and as an act of courtesy I accepted his services as a volunteer aide, but do not wish you to make anybody accountable for his extraordinary and perhaps excessive zeal. Hoping your health may soon revive and you may long enjoy peace and prosperity,

I am, general, very respectfully, yours,

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General, Commanding.

I was not caring for the guns and prisoners which we had captured, now in my rear, but intent on the prospect of again reaching the retreating foe. For this purpose I continued the march that night, halting at 3 a. m. October 28, at the ruins of Carthage. Here we rested three hours for breakfast and foraging. I found exhausted rebels had been left here in a starving condition, one or two having died of hunger. I again hurried forward my own weary troops, confident of soon overhauling the enemy's rear. But understanding Price was cruelly treating his prisoners, I sent Major McKenny forward with flag of truce conveying a demand on the rebel general for the release of such of his captives whom in his extreme necessity and rapid progress he could not and did not treat with the kindness due to prisoners of war. But Major McKenny only advanced a few miles when he found the enemy drawn up in battle array at Diamond Prairie, and Colonel Ford ready to deploy our advance brigade against him. So it was inexpedient to convey this letter to General Price. Soon after the enemy, of his own accord, paroled and released them, and it is proper to say the charges of cruel treatment had been exaggerated. Some of our troops, under the immediate charge of Major McKenny, pursued him, skirmishing in timber for about three miles, capturing 3 prisoners. The advance again moved forward through Granby, approaching Newtonia about 2 p m.

BATTLE OF NEWTONIA, MO.*

General Blunt being in advance, gave permission to Colonel Moonlight to halt his brigade about 1 p. m. to feed his horses in corn-fields, which were seen about half a mile on the right of the road. General McNeil coming up at this time in rear of Colonel Moonlight, and we supposing General Blunt's whole division had made the same divergence, halted his brigade, and with other troops joined Colonel Moonlight in feeding their weary horses. But I soon found that General Blunt had gone on with only Jennison's and Ford's brigades, and apprehending that the might overhaul the enemy with this small force I directed General Sanborn, who at this moment arrived with his brigade, to move on as fast as possible, following myself and directing General McNeil also to resume the march as soon as possible. Meantime the enemy had

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*Map of the battle-field of Newtonia (here omitted) to appear in the Atlas.

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