Generals Rosecrans and Pleasonton were, and in his general conversation and directions to me appeared to depend entirely on his own force to keep the enemy in check. I at this time proposed to Major-General Curtis to take a small steam ferry-boat lying at the levee, Kansas City, and run down the Missouri River until I could hear from or see some of the forces of Major-General Rosecrans and carry such dispatches and information as to our situation from General Curtis to General Rosecrans as might be proper. At first General Curtis approved the plan, but finally gave it up as being too hazardous, not knowing where to find, or rather not having any information as to where General Rosecrans could be found. I did not know that our forces had the best of the fighting until Sunday night at dark, when ascertaining that Price's forces had retreated and were being closely pressed by General Curtis, Blunt, and Pleasonton, I began to collect my tools from the trenches and prepare to follow on and catch up with the advance of our troops. My duty in collecting the Government property, for which I was accountable, kept me in Kansas City until Monday morning, October 24, at 10 o'clock, at which time I took the road with my assistants, and, accompanied by Colonel Ellithorpe, editor of Leavenworth Conservative, we reached Little Santa fe the same day at about 2 o'clock; distance, nineteen miles south of Kansas City. Here, as I was entering the town from the north, I met the advance guard of Major-General Rosecrans entering the town from the east or northeast, coming from the direction of Hickman Mills, General Rosecrans in person being some two miles in the rear of his advance. I halted until the general came up, and after seeing him for a few minutes he informed me that he should encamp there for the night,as he informed my his maxim was "to camp early and start early." He at the same time pressed me to remain with him until such time as we should catch the column of General Curtis, stating that he was anxious to push on before daylight and should undoubtedly catch General curtis before the next night (Tuesday); that he earnestly desired to see me after he had his supper to obtain such information as I was possessed of as to the movement of both forces from Lexington to the present time. A few moments after, Captain Hoelcke, engineer officer on the staff of General Rosecrans, came to me to procure maps of the country between Fort Scott and our present position, stating that the general desires to have him (Captain H.) make copies of the maps at once as General Rosecrans had no maps or guides for that section of country. I very cheerfully gave him full maps of the country and all the information I was possessed of. At about 7 o'clock that evening I was told by an officer that General Rosecrans desired to see me. I went immediately to his quarters and found him at supper. I waited until he came out, when he desired me to give him a free statement of what General Curtis had been doing. I did so as nearly and correctly as I could. After finishing my statements the general turned around to his chief of staff (Colonel Du Bois, I think, was his name, although I was not introduced to any of General Rosecrans' staff) and said to the colonel:

Old Curtis appears to be trying to drive Price right back into Missouri.

The colonel's reply was:

Yes; he is getting things beautifully muddled up.

I said to the general:

General, you do not suppose that General Curtis would open a clear road for Price to go straight through Kansas?