Cabell's brigade, advancing to the very muzzle of the enemy's guns, found a deep ditch yawning before them impossible to cross. After some hesitation they recoiled before the terrible fire that was continually poured into their ranks, falling back from 75 to 10) yards from the fort under cover of a small natural embankment, and remained until after night-fall, when they were quietly withdrawn to an encampment one mile distant. Burbridge's and Jeffers' regiments being upon my left in the charge did not get nearer than seventy-five yards to the fort, and seeing the others repulsed took refuge in a ravine and remained until withdrawn after night. Thus ended one of the hardest fought small engagements of the war, as the list of killed and wounded will attest, the officers and men of my command behaving with a spirit that well became the reputation they had won upon many fields under the command of General Marmaduke and Colonel Greene as brigade commanders. I hope it will not be considered out of place for me to call attention to the dashing gallantry displayed by General Cabell in leading his troops to this terrible assault.

During the night the enemy blew up his fortifications and fled in the direction of the Southwest Branch Railroad. A rapid pursuit was commenced on the 28th, but we did not come upon his rear until the 29th, having continued the pursuit through the night preceding without halting. We pressed him hotly, but owing to the topography of the country it was impossible to deploy rapidly, and in consequence failed to bring him to a general engagement. Having already been in the saddle forty-eight hours, exclusive of the fatigues from the battle of Pilot Knob, my command was relieved from active pursuit in the advance by General Shelby's division, who pressed the enemy hotly until night-fall. Taking advantage of the darkness and the facilities afforded by the railroad at the station of Leasburg, the enemy protected himself behind formidable fortifications, and considering that it would occasion too great loss of life to make the assault, Generals Marmaduke and Shelby decided to withdraw on the 30th and move down the railroad some twelve miles, camping at Sullivan's Station. On the 29th Colonel Burbridge's regiment and Wood's battalion, of my brigade, under orders from General Marmaduke, were detached (Colonel Burbridge commanding) to destroy the railroad depots, &c., at Cuba, eleven miles from Leasburg in the direction of Rolla. The order being satisfactorily executed they rejoined the brigade on the 30th.

We arrived at Union, Franklin Country, October 1; found a small body of the enemy, some 200 strong, posted in the town to dispute our entrance. Dismounting my command and opening my artillery I moved forward rapidly to the attack, routing the enemy, killing 32, and capturing 70 prisoners. At 12 o'clock that night Lawther's regiment, of my brigade, was sent forward in the direction of Washington as an advance. I was ordered to join him with the remainder of my command, and did so at 8 o'clock the next morning (October 2) one mile from Washington. The enemy having fled the night before, took possession of the town without opposition, destroying a bridge on the Pacific Railroad two miles below the town. On the 3rd of October captured a train at Miller's Station, with a large amount of clothing and 400 Sharps rifles. Same evening captured Herman after a slight engagement with the enemy, Greene's regiment in advance, which captured one 12-pounder iron gun. The train captured at Miller's Station was run up to Hermann, where stores, arms, &c., were distributed. On the 4th Wood's battalion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, were sent