formed in two lines and ordered to charge down toward the enemy's train, the charge being led by the major-general commanding First Division in person. We advanced at a gallop, with skirmishers in front, until we came upon the main body of the enemy, who was formed three lines deep and the front line dismounted. The action was commenced in earnest, and for three hours with less than 900 men (my brigade consisting of less than 600 men) we contended with an enemy of ten times our number, and closed the day by driving him from the field, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands. During the hottest of the engagement the enemy threw a large body of men upon our left, their fire telling fearfully upon our small force, but the left, commanded by Major Ketner, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, never wavered nor flinched, but answered shot for shot. The brigade remained upon the field until 9 p. m., when it went into camp in the town of Newtonia. During the 29th instant the brigade marched with the division to Neosho, returning to Newtonia the next day, October 30. On the 31st instant, after issuing rations and ammunition to the command started forward again on the enemy's trail, the footmen of my brigade marching with the transportation under command of Lieut. M. Hennion, Seeond Colorado Cavalry. My brigade numbered at this time not more than 450 or 500 men, so many horses having given out from excessive and long continued marches without sufficient forage and water. On the 4th instant [November] we arrived at Fayetteville, relieving that place from the determined attacks of the rebel General Fagan, commanding division in General Price's army. About noon of the 8th instant arrived on the bank of the Arkansas River, fifteen miles above Fort Smith, as the rear of the rebel army was disappearing in the woods beyond. The battery was placed upon the north side of the river and shelled the opposite woods, with what success not known. The brigade was disbanded on the 9th instant per special field orders, First Division, Army of the Border, dated November 9, 1864, and I was ordered with my regiment (Second Colorado Cavalry) to report for escort duty to Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis, commanding Department of Kansas. Total distance traveled by the Fourth Brigade from October 16, when it was organized, until November 9, the date of special field orders disbanding the brigade, must be over 400 miles. The casualties of the brigade cannot be exactly ascertained, but are reported by subordinate commanders, as follows: Killed and wounded, Second Colorado Cavalry, 70; Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, 67; Independent Colorado Battery, 5. Total, 142. The campaign just closed was the most severe upon men and horses that any of the troops comprising my brigade were ever engaged in as regards marching, scarcity of food, forage, and water, inclement weather, &c., yet all, both men and officers, endured unflinchingly hardships and privations, and on all occasions behaved with the coolness of veterans when under fire. Where all did well, it is difficult to particularize, but I cannot forbear to mention Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, who, though painfully wounded at the battle of Westport, continued in the saddle until the brigade reached Fort Scott. Major Ketner, of the Sixteenth, also displayed at all times great coolness and gallantry, being always in the thickest of the fight, and having at Newtonia two horses shot under him, and in fact all the officers and men of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry did splendidly throughout the whole campaign. Maj. Jesse L. Pritchard, commanding the Second Colorado Cavalry, behaved with conspicuous bravery and coolness at all times, and especially at the battle of Newtonia, where he ably obeyed all my orders, and held the line unflinchingly after the carbine ammunition had been expended. Capt. W. H, Greene, who commanded the Second Colorado Cavalry from the death of Major Smith (during the battle of Little Blue) until the morning of the 24th, when Major Pritchard took command, did excellent service, and is deserving of great praise. Credit is also due to Capt. W. D. McLain, for the skillful manner in which he maneuvered his battery, and prompt obedience to all my orders. I must not omit to mention Colonel Treat, of the Twelfth Kansas State Militia, who assisted and co-operated with me very heartily, and at the battle of Westport did good service with his regiment dismounted. To my staff officers I am greatly indebted for the promptness with which my orders were promulgated and for their utter disregard to all personal safety and comfort. Adjt. Robert S. Roe, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieuts. William Wise and J. Fenton Seymour, aides-de-camp, were especially valuable to me as I could at all times rely upon their coolness, judgment, and experience in directing movements that were made not under my personal observation. Surg. I. J. Pollok and his assistants, Akin and Vance, were also untiring in their efforts at attending to the wounded of the brigade. For the minutiae of the campaign I would respectfully invite your attention to the following inclosures,* viz: Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, marked A; report of Maj. James Ketner, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, marked B; report of Capt. W. H. Greene, commanding Second Colorado Cavalry, marked C; report of Maj. Jesse L. Pritchard, commanding Second Colorado Cavalry, marked D; report of Capt. W. D. McLain, commanding Independent Colorado Battery, marked E; report of Capt. E. W. Kingsbury, commanding battalion Second Colorado Cavalry, marked F. In closing my report I have to thank the major-general commanding the First Division, Army of the Border, for the many favors bestowed upon me and my brigade. I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. FORD, Colonel Second Colorado Cavalry, late Commanding Fourth Brigade, First Division, Army of the Border. Capt. GEORGE S. HAMPTON, Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Division, Army of the Border. No. 85. Reports of Maj. J. Nelson Smith, Second Colorado Cavalry. INDEPENDENCE, MO., October 15, 1864. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that in pursuance to instructions received from you on the 13th instant I proceeded at 9.30 same evening with Companies A, G, F, and L to this place. When about half-way to this place I met Captain Moses with his company (M) and Company C. I came to this place with the whole command (six com *Not found. panies), arriving at 1 o'clock next a. m. I then quartered my men in the public square, hitching my horses outside the same. At this place (Independence) I learned that an attack was expected at daylight in the a. m. I remained here until 9 a. m. (quartering my men on the citizens for their breakfast, as my command had no rations), then moved with my whole command east (down the Missouri River) fifteen miles, where I met a citizen by the name of Drake, who was from the vicinity of Lexington, who informed me that the day before two bodies of the enemy (either bushwhackers or Confederate troops), one of 200 and the other of 100, had crossed the Missouri River going north, while it was reported that larger parties had crossed the river going north, and it was also currently reported that a larger force of the enemy had crossed the river going north. It was also reported (by pretty reliable authority) that General Price with a command of 8,000 had left the vicinity of Lexington last Wednesday, going south. I proceeded from the point above referred to, traveling nearly due south until I arrived near the south line of Jackson County. I then traveled in a southwesterly direction for about ten miles; then in a northwesterly direction until I reached Hickman Mills, arriving at that place at 9 o'clock last evening, where, finding that all the troops of your command had left, and my own command being too much fatigued to go farther, I went into camp, where I remained until sunrise this a. m., when I proceeded to this place, arriving at 9.30, having traveled a distance of eighty or eighty-five miles, my men having nothing to eat since yesterday a. m. at 6 o'clock. Very respectfully, &c., J. NELSON SMITH, Col. JAMES H. FORD, INDEPENDENCE, MO., October 18, 1864. SIR: For the information of the colonel commanding I have the honor to report that in pursuance to instructions received from him I left this place on the p. m. of Sunday, the 16th instant, at 8 o'clock, with detachments of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry and Second Colorado Cavalry, viz, Companies H, K, and L, Sixteenth Kansas, commanded by Major Ketner, and Companies C, E, G, K, and L, Second Colorado, numbering in all about 300 men. I proceeded east on the Lexington telegraph road, and when out nine or ten miles from this place found the telegraph line down and cut, which continued for every two or three miles until I reached Lexington. When I had proceeded about twentyfive miles I found that it was occupying so much time, and the wire for repairing having been all used up, I abandoned the idea of repairing the line and proceeded on to my destination. When within ten miles of Lexington I commenced making inquiries in regard to the force and kind of force at that place, and the invariable report was from 500 to 700 men, about one-half Confederate troops and the rest bushwhackers, and not until I got within one mile and a half or two miles could I learn anything to the contrary, when I learned that it was reported that the enemy's force had left late the night before. I dashed with my command into the town on the a. m. of the 17th a little after sunrise, but found the town evacuated by the enemy. I was informed by the citizens that a strong picket of the enemy had been posted in the town during the night previous and had left at daylight; also that a small picket had left the town as I occupied it. I found but very few citizens in the streets, and they all women and children, but as soon as they learned that Federals occupied the town what few male citizens there were left commenced crawling out of their holes, and the citizens generally commenced swarming around us, some in tears, some in smiles, and some in rags, and generally appeared much rejoiced at our arrival, and offered us the hospitalities of the town, inviting us to their homes, and acted as if they felt that they could not do too much for us. I immediately posted a strong picket about the town and sent out scouts in different directions, as I had learned that a force of from 500 to 700 Confederates had been in camp only six miles from town that a. m. at daylight, intending if such a force was there, if not too strongly posted, to make them show their hands or else throw up ours. My scouts proceeded in a south and a southeasterly direction a distance of nine miles and found no force except a picket of the enemy six miles from town, which the scouts fired upon, killing 1 and wounding 2. I learned that quite a large force of the enemy had been at Dover, a distance of eight miles, but that the pickets had been driven in from Lexington by the Federal troops and reported them in large force there, and more coming, and that the Confederates had got up and skedaddled. I also learned in Lexington (from what I consider pretty reliable authority) that a force from 2,000 to 3,000 strong (said to be Shelby's force, and commanded by General Fagan, C. S. Army) was down the river at Waverly. The citizens of Lexington have had a reign of terror, both loyal people, McClellan people, and rebels. The enemy have plundered and robbed indiscriminately, taking everything of value that they could carry away, and have left many poor families very destitute. I captured 30 double-barreled shotguns brought by the enemy to Lexington to arm their conscripts with; also 1,000 rounds of ammunition, all of which I destroyed, as I had no transportation to carry them away. I sent a dispatch to Captain Eads, First Missouri State Militia, who I learned was at Richmond, across the river, and who was in command at Lexington with his company and two full companies of citizen guards at the time that it was evacuated, advising him to return, which he did just as my rear guard were leaving town, I being well satisfied that he could hold the place if he chose to. I left the place with my command at about 4 o'clock (being out of rations), the citizens pleading with me to stay, and telling me that they would feed my whole command as long as I chose to or could stay there. I returned eighteen miles by same route on which I went in and went into camp, it being now dark. Just before going into camp my advance ran onto six mounted men, what I supposed to be the enemy's (bushwhackers) pickets, and who after getting into the brush some distance discharged two shots, probably signals for the force to which they belonged. It being quite dark, my command and their horses being tired and worn out, I did not think it advisable to pursue them. I here had my telegraph operator tap the wire so that I might communicate with you, but he reported that he could get no circuit and I had to abandon it. Hearing that a force of from 75 to 100 bushwhackers had passed south of us just before we went into camp, I sent Captain Greene with his company (E) and Companies G and L, Second Colorado Cavalry, this a. m. just before daylight to see if he could find their whereabouts, and if so give them a turn. His (Captain Greene's) report* Not found. accompanies this and is marked C; also notice* marked A, published by Captain Bedinger, C. S. Army, at Lexington, October 14, 1864, and orders marked B, by Capt. George S. Rathbun, same date and army. Most of the recruits enlisted by Captains Rathbun and Bedinger, as well as most of their conscripts, deserted and returned to their homes. In conclusion, I would remark that too much credit cannot be given to the officers and men under my command for their good behavior and prompt obedience of orders. No complaints whatever came to me of the misconduct of any man of my command. I broke camp at daylight this a. m. and arrived here at 12 m. ROBERT S. ROE, J. NELSON SMITH, Major Second Colorado Cavalry, Commanding. Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 4th Brig., 1st Div., Army of the Border. No. 86. Report of Maj. Gen. George W. Deitzler, Kansas State Militia. HEADQUARTERS KANSAS STATE MILITIA, Topeka, December 15, 1864. MAJOR: In compliance with general field orders from your headquarters, dated Camp Arkansas, November 8, 1864, I have the honor to report the part taken by the troops under my command in the recent campaign against the rebel army under Major-General Price: On the 9th day of October, 1864, in pursuance of instructions from His Excellency the Governor of Kansas, I issued orders to the militia to prepare themselves for active service for thirty days, and to concentrate immediately at the points indicated in said order, a copy of which is herewith inclosed. So prompt were the militia in responding to this call, and such was the alacrity and enthusiasm manifested in concentrating at the points indicated, that upon my arrival at Olathe, on the evening of the 12th, I found several regiments already in camp there. On the morn ing of the 13th, having received verbal instructions from Major-General Curtis to order all troops directed to concentrate at Olathe to move to Shawneetown, I proceeded to that point, formed an encampment, and gave directions to thoroughly arm and equip the troops. During the three succeeding days the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Regiments of the militia arrived in camp at Shawneetown. The regiments of Kansas State Militia, which had been ordered to rendezvous at the city of Atchison, were subsequently directed to proceed to Wyandotte and Kansas City. Orders from your headquarters designating the troops in the field as the Army of the Border, and dividing it into two wings, the right under Major-General Blunt, and assigning me to the command of the left, required several regiments of the militia of Southern Kansas to report to General Blunt, who will doubtless include their action in his report. The fact that the citizen soldiery who responded so promptly to the call of the Governor were compelled to leave their homes and business to the care of the women, the old and decrepit, thereby incurring heavy losses and great inconvenience, caused much anxiety and uneas iness, and a strong desire to end the campaign as soon as possible. This feeling was largely increased by the mystery surrounding the + See p. 469. *Not found. |