tore through them, there was mingled the crash of artillery, the sharp rattle of musketry, and ever and anon as the wind ceased there came the wild blare of bugles and the ring of sabers from the valley below, where the enemy were fighting. Twice during the day I felt their entire line and found it nearly 2 miles long, and twice they advanced in force, but were driven back each time. I drew off at 2 o'clock and retired tot he little village of Antoine, where I fed men and horses and camped for the night. Long before morning my ever-trusty and faithful scouts brought me intelligence that General Carr had marched with a brigade of cavalry to my rear, and another brigade of infantry was on my left flank waiting until I attacked again, when they would close in upon me with deadly effect. My ammunition was now nearly exhausted, the men and horses completely worn out, and I determined to cross the Little Missouri River, supply myself with ordnance stores, and await further orders. So, on the 4th, I got over the river safely and took position on Prairie D'Ane near the Camden and Washington road and the Elkin's Ferry and Camden road, ready at all times to operate upon either, as the case might require. April 5, 6, 7, and 8, was spent in desultory skirmishing, with now and then an alarm, in which I formed my command in battle line; but on the evening of the 9th, sharp, rapid, and heavy firing on the Elkin's Ferry and Camden road warned me that an advance in force was being made upon our position, covered by Colonel Dockery's brigade. I turned out my command immediately and took position in rear of Colonel Dockery, covering the direct road to our entrenched position. the melee of the battle approached rapidly. Colonel Dockery was driven back, and I ordered him to take position on my extreme left, which he had scarcely done when I opened fire upon the enemy's cloud of skirmishers. Captain Collins had but two guns to fight the grand advance of Steele's army, and as battery after battery rushed up from the rear and opened upon him he never changed his position, but held his men to their hot and desperate work with calm and daring courage. The artillery duel was terrible and magnificent. The broad prairie stretched away smoothly as a sea of glass. the long lines of cavalry on either side of the guns, and over all the bursting bombs and the white powder clouds, came fast and furious. For three hours the fight went on. Collins fought their eighteen guns, and his supports never wavered for a moment, though exposed to a concentrated fire of artillery rarely every endured by cavalry. At dark General Marmaduke ordered me to retire, which was done in perfect order. After falling back a mile I found the enemy advancing stubbornly upon me, and I knew that if he was not checked at once he would command our fortified position with his artillery before daylight. I ordered Collins once more in position on the naked prairie and deployed about 400 men as skirmishers along their entire front, and a real night battle began. For three hours more the fight went on, the whole heavens lit up with bursting bombs and the falling flames of muskets. Their advance was checked for the night, and at 12 p. m. I drew off, after eight hours of severe fighting. The next day I covered the withdrawal of our army, skirmishing with the enemy the whole time, and the next night I camped at Prairie De Rohan, 12 miles from the field of battle. On the 15th, I was ordered by General Marmaduke to get in front of the enemy, then advancing upon Camden, which, after a long and heavy march, was done, and I took position in advance of General Marmaduke's brigade, at Poison