Militia. To this point Jennison's brigade was ordered, and at 11 a. m. the sound of the guns showed that the battle had commenced on our right. The Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry and McLain's battery, which up to this time had been in my rear, were ordered off to the right to the support of Colonel Jennison. I remained in position until 4 p. m., when I received orders to fall back to Kansas City. As Colonel Hogan's regiment was leaving the line to bring up the rear of the brigade a rush was made upon him by a party of the enemy, who had been concealed in the brush to his front across the creek. They waded the creek, pushed through and over the abatis of fallen trees clear up to Hogan's line, where, after a short, sharp little skirmish, some twenty of them were taken prisoners and the rest driven off. It was after dark when we entered the intrenched lines of Kansas City, and whilst I was placing Colton's regiment and Eves' battalion in position behind the earth-works some officer, without my knowledge, carried off the residue of my brigade, and placed them so securely that I never found them until the next morning.

Reporting to General blunt at the Gillis house, I received orders to be in readiness to march at 3 a. m., but it took the whole night to collect the horses of the brigade, which, by some blunder, had been sent across the Kaw, and, while in the discharge of this duty, I missed the chance of getting some hard bread for my men, a sort of grab game being played by the soldiers in its distribution. Colonel Montgomery got his regiment off promptly at the hour indicated, and by daylight I had the residue of the brigade under march for Westport, at which point I arrived shortly after the battle opened. Pursuant to General Blunt's orders I formed my brigade on the high ground south of Westport, overlooking a little creek, the southern acclivity of which was covered with a dense growth of timber and underbrush. After the line was formed and the artillery in position I dismounted the militia, leaving every sixth man to hold horses, and pushed them through the timber to the front, where I formed them behind a fence and in front and on the left of the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt. Before us was an open field, on the other side of which was the enemy in considerable force and strongly posted behind a stone fence, which formed an admirable cover. We were partly protected by the edge of timber and a rail fence. Firing was kept up rapidly and heavily for half an hour, the enemy being held firmly in check, but I attempted no advance, as I did not know whether our flanks were clear or not. In a short time the Fifteenth retired, in obedience

to orders, and very soon after I received an order through Colonel S. J. Crawford, of the staff, to fall back to my first position. Accordingly I marched to the rear, through the timber, and formed immediately on the north bank of the creek without going clear back to my original position. During this the first introduction to fire of my militia I received invaluable assistance from Colonel C. Willets, my chief of staff; Captain George J. Clark, ordnance officer, how, having supplied the whole army with ammunition, came forward to the front and volunteered his services on my staff, knowing I was scantily supplied with staff officers, and Lieutenant L. J. Beam, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, my acting assistant adjutant-general. They all worked with cool interpedity and self-possession, and by their manners and deportment gave steadiness and nerve to the men.

A rumor reaching me that the enemy was attempting to flank our position on the right and fearing to wait for orders lest it might be accomplished I dispatched a messenger to General Blunt to inform