massed his force in my front, I became well convinced that the whole of Prices' army was present, and with the small force of my command I determined not to bring on a general engagement, but to develop his force and movements and accomplish the object of a reconnaissance. An irregular firing upon the skirmish lines of the contending forces, with occasional artillery firing, was kept up for nearly two hours, when their long-range guns opened a brisk fire in my front,to which my short-range howitzers could not reply with effect, and being pressed by an overwhelming force, with an attempt to flank me on the right and left, I directed the command to withdraw and fall back on the Independence road. This movement was accomplished in good order, the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, under the immediate command of Colonel Moonlight, covering the retreat in a gallant manner. The last position occupied by the rear guard with four mountain howitzers was held until dark and until the small command was almost entirely enveloped by the superior numbers of the enemy, when, under cover of the night, we moved by easy marches in the direction of Independence, having in the operation of the day punished our adversary severely, but what was of greater importance, developed his position, strength, and movements, the first instance in which it had been done since he had crossed the Arkansas River on his raid into Missouri.

At 9 a. m. of the 20th I reached the crossing of the Little Blue, nine miles east of Independence, and finding a strong natural position for defense on the west side of that stream I halted my command and camped in line of battle, sending to Independence for rations, and requesting the general commanding to send forward to me the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, Second Colorado Cavalry, and First Colorado Battery. In response to my application for re-enforcements with the view of making a stand at the Little Blue I was ordered by the general commanding to leave four squadrons at that point as an outpost and move with the remainder of my command to Independence, assigning as a reason that in consequence of the action of the Governor of Kansas and others of the State authorities he was unable to move the State militia any farther into Missouri. In pursuance of these instructions, I left Colonel Moonlight, with the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, with instructions to burn the bridge across the Blue if the enemy advanced in force, and to make such resistance as he could, until I could be notified. Early on the morning of the 21st I was directed to move with all the volunteer force back to the Little Blue, and just as the command had commenced to move I received a dispatch from Colonel Moonlight informing me that the enemy were advancing in force; that he had burned the bridge, and was engaging their advance. The command was now pressed forward as rapidly as possible, but on arriving upon the field I found that the small force under Colonel Moonlight, although making a stubborn resistance, had been forced back by superior numbers, and we had lost the strong position on the west side of the Little Blue, before alluded to, and where I had hoped to have held Price in check until General Rosecrans' forces came up on his rear, had circumstances have permitted me to remain there, as I had suggested the day previous. As soon as the troops could be got into position, a gallant attempt was made to push back the enemy and retake the ground we had lost, when their line was driven back nearly a mile, but the vastly superior numbers of the enemy enabling them to push forward heavy flanking columns on my right and left, compelled me to fall back in the direction of Independence. The retreat was conducted in perfect order, every foot of ground being stubbornly con-