the river in this boat to catch the Boonville ferry-boat now in the hands of the rebels, and also to have additional transportation at Glasgow, to which point this boat will go. Le the commanding officer of this regiment telegraph to Captain Hodges if the boat is not waiting, and if the boat cannot be furnished, let the regiment join the nearest column.

JOHN V. DU BOIS,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE BORDER,
In the Field, Neosho, Mo., October 30, 1864 - 1 a. m.

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C.:

Your dispatch inform,ing me of the wishes of Lieutenant-General Grant to pursue Price to the Arkansas River is just received. I send couriers with orders to this effect directed to the several brigade commanders of the troops of General Rosecrans, who had abandoned the pursuit by his orders. I will proceed with my own force toward Cassville, hoping to concentrate sufficient troops at that point to resume the pursuit. I also send to General Steele your dispatch, indorsing on it the present direction taken by the enemy.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE BORDER,
In the Field, Neosho, Mo., October 30, 1864 - 8 a. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

I desire the lieutenant-general to understand that from the commencement of my efforts in this campaign I have had to occupy a debatable position as to my authority over troops, while a necessity pressed me forward. The militia caviled about going beyond State lines; and General Rosecrans' commanders, except one or two, ever since we formed a junction, expressed a conviction that they had done enough, and urged with much truth their long marches and general destitution as the reason for delay. I used argument, expostulation, and orders, and held the troops together till we fought at Charlot, opposite Fort Scott. Here General Pleasonton, without consulting me, flanked off most of his force, and insisted that farther pursuit was needless. I did not know where General Rosecrans was, as his headquarters had been shifting fifty or sixty miles in the rear, and matters required immediate action. I therefore informed General Pleasonton that I assumed the responsibility and must exercise the prerogatives of my rank and direct him to resume the pursuit. To this he yielded and ordered his brigades to join me. They were in full march when my advance, under General Blunt, overtook the enemy at Newtonia, and General Sanborn's brigade came up in time to secure a victory where we had only been able to hold our own for two hours with considerable loss on both sides. The pursuit was resumed, when the order of General Rosecrans came directing his troops to their several district locations, and they immediately commenced to carry out that order. This left only my department volunteers, who had borne the brunt of the last battle and were sadly reduced