with so much impetuosity that he captured a staff officer of General Cabell's and the general's sword, and by the movement contributed largely to the capture of the enemy's artillery taken there.

Fifth. At Big Blue, on the 23d, he made a most gallant charge at the head of his regiment upon the enemy's artillery, and was prevented from taking it only by an intervening stone wall.

Sixth. At Marais des Cygnes he charged in a most gallant manner across the river with his regiment and drove the enemy from the timber, where he was felling trees across the road, and immediately attacked him in the open prairie, whereby the enemy was compelled to form for battle, and whereby our army was enabled to achieve the brilliant result which almost immediately followed at the battle of the Osage.

For these most faithful and gallant services I respectfully recommend that Colonel John E. Phelps, Second Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers, and first lieutenant Third Cavalry Regular Army, be promoted one grade in the Regular Army, and be brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., November 12, 1864.

Major-General PLEASONTON,

Saint Louis:

I have just returned from Cassville, and will forward my official report of the campaign in a day or two.* No one has fired a shot at the enemy since the battle of Newtonia, where the enemy gained great advantages over Blunt at first, but my command got up in time to turn the enemy's right and the tide of things. The enemy lost very largely in men and horses in Northern Arkansas and the border. My idea was, and is now, that when we got him below Newtonia and the region of grain mills and cattle that we should not crowd him any more, but rather make an effort to hold him in this land of starvation, as we would a garrison out of supplies, until his army broke up and deserted. Deserters were very numerous while Price was in this section, but I have seen none that have left him since he was pushed off toward his supplies. My own view is that all the efforts of General Curtis to drive the enemy, and they have been great and entitle him to credit, have been to our detriment and the enemy's advantage, for I believe one-half of his army would have deserted north of the Arkansas had it not been for fear of the pursuing foe, and the pursuit has been expensive; but the enemy has suffered badly, and all should be satisfied, I suppose. My dispatches from General Thayer indicate that the troops on the Arkansas will not attack Price.

JOHN B. SANBORN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI, Numbers 77.
Springfield, Mo., November 12, 1864.

I. Lieutenant-Colonel McMahan, Sixth Provisional Regiment, is hereby relieved from duty as commanding troops in the field. Upon the receipt of this order he will direct Captain Cassairt, Company I,

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*For report, see Part I, p. 385.

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35 R R - VOL XLI, PT IV