and re-enforcements. An inspection of the command was ordered to ascertain the condition in regard to ammunition and supplies, and a lengthy dispatch was sent to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff, detailing present position, movements, and embarrassments. Two o'clock the command returned to Newtonia, where ammunition and supplies were distributed. Next day (31st) the general and staff left Newtonia taking the Cassville road; halted at 1 o'clock at Gadfly. Finding the enemy had taken the Keetsville road, dispatches were sent back to Blunt to go to Keetsville, and one to Benteen at Cassville to take the same road. Of General Rosecrans' troops ordered to join us, only Benteen's command reported. Tuesday, 1st of November, marched ten miles through rain and snow and halted at Cross Timbers, where troops built fires and where we remained next day (2nd) for the command to close up, movements being greatly retarded by the rain and the almost impassable condition of the roads. The 3rd continued the march and during the night received dispatches from Colonel Harrison that the enemy were shelling Fayetteville. We hastened forward and on the 4th reached Fayetteville about 12 o'clock, where we found the enemy had retreated on our approach. Having secured the safety of this post we moved forward, Colonel Harrison with about 300 of the First Arkansas Cavalry joining the column and forming the advance. The evening of the 5th we camped on the old battle-ground of Prairie Grove and next morning marched at daylight and continued without halt until 4 p. m., when we camped for the night (Camp Hunt); 7th, march resumed at 3 a. m., and continued until 12 midnight. Next day at 12 m. we reached the Arkansas River about twenty-five miles above Fort Smith, having followed a trail sharply defined and strewn with arms, half-burned wagons, dead mules, abandoned horses, and all the debris of a routed and demoralized army, including Price's private carriage, and one piece of artillery, abandoned but no destroyed.

Having cut a new road for more than a mile through an impenetrable canebrake, and having found a new ford here, [Price] had crossed about 10,000 troops broken, dispirited, and starving, two pieces of artillery and forty wagons, all that remained of the proud Army of Missouri, which a month ago, 20,000 strong, had marched triumphantly through the heart of Missouri, stealing, burning, and conscripting, without serious opposition until met by Blunt at Lexington. A portion of our advance actually crossed the river, but without coming upon the rear guard of the enemy, who had barely escaped us, and who were not yet beyond the sound of our parting salute, which we gave them from McLain's battery and the "little howitzers" of Major Hunt (escort detachment). We watered our horses in the Arkansas River and having successfully accomplished its mission the Army of the Border was formally disbanded. General Blunt, with Moonlight's brigade, was directed to return via Fort Smith, Colonel Benteen by the shortest route and at his own discretion to his proper corps command in the Department of the Tennessee. Colonel Jennison, returning, was directed to take the route of the army through Arkansas and Missouri, to meet supplies en route, and Colonel Ford, with his regiment, was selected to accompany the major-general commanding, via Fort Gibson and Fort Scott, to department headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, where we arrived on the 18th, having in thirty-eight days and without change of clothing marched near 800 miles, and with the co-operation of comrades in Missouri fought seven pitched battles, inflicting an acknowledges loss on the enemy of over 10,000 killed, wounded, and missing, and saved the

34 R R - VOL XLI, PT I