campaign after the rebel Price, through a portion of the States of Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and through the Indian Territory:

When I look command of this signal detachment I found it without horses and without transportation. The general commanding had said that as we were not in the field, and as horses were hard to get, he needed all the horses he could raise to mount his cavalry. As soon as there was a prospect of getting into the field I got permission from the commanding general to mount fall my officers fit for duty and three men for each officer, and to draw one wagon. This being done, on the 11th of October, at noon, we started with the commanding general for the front. On the night of the first day out, there being no staff quartermaster, Second Lieutenant J. R. Fitch, Signal Corps, in addition to his other duties, was announced by General Curtis as staff quartermaster. A copy of the order is inclosed.* On the same day, previous to this, First Lieutenant Roberts, acting signal officer, had been appointed an acting aide by the commanding general. A copy of the order appointing him is inclosed.* On the same day, previous to this, First Lieutenant Roberts, acting signal officer, had been appointed him acting assistant adjutant-general in charge of returns. A copy of the order is inclosed.* On the 21st of October was fell back slowly from Independence to Big Blue, and formed our lines. On the 22nd of October, early in the morning, I sent Lieutenant Hubbard on the extreme right of our lines (about two miles from the road) to make observations, and Lieutenant Neely on the extreme left, about half a mile from the road, for the same purpose. Both officers were instructed to make reports every thirty minutes, whether there was anything to report or not. As we could not open signal communication to where the general was on the road on account of heavy timber, they were instructed to send messages by courier. The reports sent by those two officers proved to be in every way reliable and of the utmost importance to the commanding general. By his order, I sent copied of all messages as fast as they came in to Major-General Blunt, Major-General Deitzler, and Colonel Blair, commanding, respectively, the right, left, and center of the army. At this time Lieutenants Roberts and Quinby were acting as aides on the staff of General Curtis. About dark as the enemy had moved to our right, our line fell back, and, by order from General Curtis, I reported with Lieutenants Hubbard and Neely to him at Kansas City, where he had established his headquarters. Inclosed I send reports of Lieutenants Hubbard and Neely, with list of messages sent that day and during the remainder of the campaign. Here I must remark that the two officers mentioned above merit my warmest approbation for the energy displayed and the reliability that attended their dispatches. It was their first experience in the field as signal officers, and they did their duty well. Early next morning, the 23rd of October, Lieutenant Hubbard was sent to the extreme front to open communication with Lieutenants Quinby and Neely, who were stationed on a high house in Westport, four miles from Kansas City, to which point in the meantime the general had repaired. Before communication could be established the enemy were fleeting, and as the general moved out the line was abandoned. Lieutenants Quinby and Neely made some valuable observations, which were verbally reported to the general. Lieutenant Hubbard also sent a number of messages to the general as he was ad-

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*Omitted.

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