the enemy, and giving up to them a line of stone walls rendered the movement a dangerous one, and had it not been for the command already referred to, under Colonel Walker, opening a flank fire by my directions, I question much if the retreat would not have been a fatal one and yet it had to be done, as the ammunition train by some mistake was away in the rear, where I joined it, and supplied my command anew. By this time the entire command had fallen back, and the Second Brigade, as ordered, formed a new line of battalion the east side of Independence. About this time Captain Hunton, with his company (H) of the Eleventh, joined the command. The captain had, by my order the day previous, been sent up Little Blue about four miles to guard a ford and check the enemy, which he did in his usual gallant style, never abandoning his position, although pressed, in a manner isolated, and knowing we were being driven back on his left. The covering of the retreat from this point was given the Second Brigade, and to Companies B and H was the work assigned, under my own supervision. The enemy wa held for some time at bay. A skirmish was kept up in the streets of Independence and as far as the railroad bridge, when the enemy abandoned the pursuit; it was then dark. We arrived in camp on Big Blue about midnight, where the entire force was concentrated. Throughout the entire engagement on Little Blue I was ably assisted by the field officers of the Eleventh, viz, Lieutenant-Colonel Plumb, Majors Anderson and Ross (the latter had two horses shot under him), as also my adjutant, Lieutenant Taber, together with those already named of other regiments. The entire command behaved with the utmost coolness and gallantry, commanding officers of companies vieing with each other in the discharge of their duties. I regret to say that in this engagement Captain N. P. Gregg, Company M, Eleventh, received a severe gunshot wound in the right arm which is likely to disable him for life. The captains is one of the best officers in the service and it is to be hoped that he will yet be spared for future fields of operations. At Big Blue, on the 23rd [22nd], the Second Brigade was ordered to hold Simmons' Ford, and report the movements of the enemy. None coming, and the First Brigade at Byram's Ford retreating, the Second Brigade in double-quick whipped around by Westport and met the enemy on the State line, checked his advance into Kansas, and by the setting of the sun drove him back over into Missouri. The fight continued until dark, after which the pursuit was abandoned, and my command moved up to Shawnee Mission, for the purpose of procuring forage and rations.

It is but to say that the Second Brigade had been so actively engaged for several days that little or no rations had been obtained; yet all were eager for the fight, and determined that Price could only invade Kansas when the little band no longer existed. The battle of the Line, or Big Blue as it is called, was a very pretty one and satisfied my mind that the enemy's cavalry was no match for ours on the prairie. In this fight Company G, of the Eleventh, escort for General Curtis, joined my command on the occasion and participated in the fight, as also the howitzers mentioned as commanded by Major Hunt on Little Blue. A militia force, I think Johnson County, under Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, was also prevent; another militia force camped with the brigade that night, but I have forgotten what regiment. Several prisoners were captured during the engagement and properly forwarded to the headquarters of Major-General Curtis.

Early on the morning of the 24th [23d] I received orders to supply my command with ammunition and rations and take the

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