Numbers 83. Reports of Colonel Charles W. Blair, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanding Third Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Scott, Kans., November 26, 1864.

Major C. S. CHARLOT,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I send you my official report of the part the "Tads" took in the recent invasion, or at least those under my command. It is addressed to Captain Hampton, of General Blunt's staff, which, I suppose, is de rigeur, as I was in the First Division. I have endeavored to make a plain, connected statement of the events, so far as my command was connected with them, and trust it may be satisfactory to you and the general. This militia command was an undesirable and laborious one, but I did the best I could with the material.

I am, major, with high respect, your most obedient servant,

CHAS. W. BLAIR.

FORT SCOTT, KANS., November 25, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of my own participation and that of the troops under my command in the stirring events connected with the recent invasion of the Department of Kansas and Missouri by the rebel army under General Price.

On the 13th of October, 9 a. m., I received an order from Colonel Jennison, commanding the First Sub-District, to move with all the mounted troops of my command in the direction of Kansas City, leaving the dismounted men under a careful officer for the defense of the post. Accordingly I placed Captain William, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, in command at Fort Scott, and at 3 p. m. took up my line of march with the following troops: Companies A, C, D, F, and M, Third Wisconsin Cavalry; Companies D, E, and L, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry; Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry; right section Second Kansas Battery, under Lieutenant D. C. Knowles; four howitzers and an ordnance train, under Captain George J. Clark, Fourteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, acting ordnance officer of the district, assisted in the command of the guns by Lieutenant William B. Clark, Company E, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry; Lieutenant-Colonel Eves' battalion of Bourbon County militia, and Captain John Wilson's company of independent cavalry scouts, the whole command numbering about 1,000 men. I stopped at Mound City four hours to rest and feed, and then pushed on to Paola, arriving there about 3 p. m. on the 14th, having accomplished a march of sixty miles in twenty-four hours. At this place I drew rations for ten days and at daylight next morning was en route for Hickman Mills, pursuant to orders received the night before, where I arrived about dark the same day. On my arrival I received Major-General Blunt's order brigading the troops of the First Division of the Army of the Border, and learned that all my volunteer troops, except the field artillery, were taken from me and assigned to other brigades, and I was placed in command of the Third Brigade, consisting of the following troops: Captain W. D. McLain's (Colorado) battery, six guns; Lieutenant D C. Knowles' (Second Kansas) battery, two guns; Company E, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, Lieutenant W. R. Clark; Captain Wilson's company of independent cavalry scouts; Lieutenant-Colonel Eves' battalion Bourbon County militia, and the Fifth,