UNFORTUNATE ORDERS AND CONSEQUENT DELAY.

Closing the affair at Newtonia (the 28th of October), with a complete repulse of the enemy, I gave orders for a renewal of the pursuit at 3 o'clock next morning. Price, being hard pressed, had paroled the prisoners whom I had sought to secure by Major McKenny's dispatches, and they, with the slightly wounded, were sent back to the rear.

I sent you the following dispatch:

NEWTONIA, MO., October 28, 1864-8 p. m.

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

We came up to the enemy at this place this evening, and General Blunt, in advance, immediately engaged him. General Sanborn, with his command, soon joined the advance and the rebels were again routed with heavy loss. They now run toward Cassville, where I shall continue after three hours' rest.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

Everything now promised complete success in view of our close proximity to the enemy, his exhausted condition, and his disastrous defeat. He was still in a fruitful section of Missouri, but by pressing him another day or two, he would have no time to collect supplies, and would reach the devastated, destitute region of Arkansas without provisions, and must surrender or starve. Meantime I had arranged for light rations to follow me from Fort Scott, by night and day, fast drives in wagons half loaded. The capture of Price's army in the Ozark or boston Mountains, which were between us and the Arkansas River, seemed to me inevitable. But as the troops were commencing the march on the morning of the 29th of October, General McNeil in advance, I received the following dispatch:

FORT SCOTT, October 27, 1864.

Major-General CURTIS,

Commanding Department of Kansas:

GENERAL: Major-General Rosecrans has just telegraphed me instructions from Warrensburg to send Generals Sanborn and McNeil to their respective districts at Springfield and Rolla, and to conduct the remaining brigades with the captured prisoners and property of this command to Warrensburg. I shall therefore start to-morrow morning to execute these orders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. PLEASONTON,

Major-General.

Generals Sanborn and McNeil received corresponding orders by the same messenger and immediately prepared to carry them out, leaving only the shattered remainder of General Blunt's division, less than 1,000 strong, for me to dispose of. I was astonished and sorely disappointed. These orders evidently grew out of a misunderstanding of my ability to overtake the enemy, as I had gone at Newtonia. I have since seen a telegraphic communication, dated on the 26th or 27th of October, sent by General Pleasonton from Fort Scott, to General Rosecrans, representing our successes on the 25th as a complete destruction of Price's forces and holding out the idea that pursuit beyond Fort Scott was needless. Whether before or after the date of General Pleasonton's assurance to me of hearty co-operation, these orders were in conflict with my hopes and expectations, arising from his letter to me of the 27th, and very unfortunate in view of the further pursuit ordered this very day (October 28, but not yet received) by the lieutenant-general. But there seemed no remedy in my reach. At Newtonia I