plies to the militia, Kansas, in a great measure, owes her preservation from the devastating hands of a ruthless foe, and to him we tender our sincere thanks. I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient serv. ant, GEO. W. DEITZLER, Major-General, Kansas State Militia, 1 Maj. C. S. CHARLOT, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 87. Report of Brig. Gen. W. H. M. Fishback, commanding Fifth Brigade District, Kansas State Militia. Major-General CURTIS, OLATHE, KANS., December 26, 1864. Fort Leavenworth, Kans.: SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of my official report to Maj. John T. Morton, assistant adjutant-general. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. H. M. FISHBACK, Brigadier-General, HDQRS. 5TH BRIG. DISTRICT, KANSAS STATE MILITIA, Paola, October 28, 1864. MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action of this brigade while in active service, under proclamation of the com mander in chief, dated on the 8th instant: In obedience to General Orders, No. —, of Maj. Gen. George W. Deitzler, dated Topeka, October 8 [9], 1864, I dispatched messengers forthwith to the different regimental commanders in my district, ordering every man liable to duty immediately into the field, concentrating my forces in accordance with said orders at Paola, Kans. The order was obeyed with a promptness truly astonishing, especially when we consider the sparsity of some of the settlements in South Kansas and the great distance traveled in notifying the men. Never was there an order obeyed with greater alacrity. On the evening of October the 10th instant the Fifth Regiment Kansas State Militia, Col. G. A. Colton, had organized, and reported for duty; on the 11th instant the Tenth Regiment Kansas State Militia, Col. William Pennock, was on the march from Franklin and Anderson Counties, and marched to my headquarters on the 12th. On the 13th instant I was ordered by Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt to march all my available forces to Hickman Mills, Mo., which up to this date consisted of the Fifth Regiment Kansas State Militia Cavalry, Col. G. A. Colton, 471 men; the Tenth Regiment Kansas State Militia Cavalry, Col. William Pennock, 751 men. Of these I reported to General Blunt 528 men, without arms and all with little or no ammunition, but on his solemn promise to telegraph to Leavenworth for sufficient arms and ammunition to meet us at Aubrey, Kans., as also to furnish us with blankets, camp equipage, and all hings necessary for the campaign, on the morning of the 14th instant ve took up our line of march for that place, leaving Capt. W. R. Wagstaff in command of the post. Arrived at Aubrey about 3 p. m., was nformed by General Blunt that the arms and ammunition were at Oxford, where we would march next morning. In the meantime I sent detail of men with transportation for all the arms and ammunition hat could be had at the post of Olathe, and got about 5,000 rounds of mmunition, but no arms. I then ordered my command to Oxford, Kans., and still finding that arms and ammunition had not been forvarded to that place, according to the general's solemn promise, the men Decame demoralized, and those without arms and ammunition refused To proceed farther without them. I here was compelled to order all nen without arms and ammunition back to Paola, Kans., for arms and ammunition, and marched to Hickman Mills with those who had arms, some of which were unfit for service. On the 15th instant the Sixth Regiment Kansas State Militia, Lieut. Col. James D. Snoddy commandng, reported to me for duty at Hickman Mills, Mo., consisting of 530 nen. On the same day General Blunt transmitted to my headquarters The following general field orders: GENERAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 2. } HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, ARMY OF THE BORDER, In the Field, Hickman Mills, October 15, 1864. The troops of the division, Army of the Border, are hereby organized into brigades as follows, to wit: I. First Brigade, under command of Col. C. R. Jennison, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, will consist of the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, detachment of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and five mountain howitzers. II. Second Brigade, under command of Col. T. Moonlight, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, will consist of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, detachment of the Sixteenth KanSas Cavalry, detachment of the Fifth Kansas Cavalry, and four mountain howitzers. III. Third Brigade, under the command of Col. C. W. Blair, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, will consist of the Fifth Regiment Kansas State Militia, commanded by Col. G. A. Colton; the Sixth Regiment Kansas State Militia, commanded by Col. James D. Snoddy; the Tenth Regiment Kansas State Militia, commanded by Col. William Pennock, under the immediate command of Brig. Gen. W. H. M. Fishback, Kansas State Militia; Independent Battery Colorado Volunteer Artillery, and section of Second Kansas Battery. Commanding officers of regiments, detachments, and batteries will report immediately to commanding officers of brigades for further orders. By command of Major-General Blunt: GEO. S. HAMPTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. This order of General Blunt I considered a most wanton and uncalled for assumption of authority on his part, contrary to the spirit of the militia law of Kansas, and in direct violation of the understanding under which the militia were called out, and a gross breach of good faith toward those men who were assured they would be led by their own officers, and as Kansas militia they should be kept under the control of militia officers, the whole under the command of Maj. Gen. George W. Deitzler, Kansas State Militia, an officer of great experience and tried bravery, almost the first of the sons of Kansas who sprang to arms at the call of his country, who led the First Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry during the first years of the rebellion, and who freely shed his blood for our common country, and one in whom all had unbounded confidence. Yet this order of General Blunt sweeps the brigade wholly from our control and places it for the time being beyond our reach. This I could not consent to without orders from the major-general of the Kansas State Militia. I immediately dispatched a messenger to him with a copy of the order and a statement of the facts, at Shawnee town, Kans., which was promptly answered as follows, to wit: Gen. W. H. M. FISHBACK, HEADQUARTERS KANSAS MILITIA, Kansas State Militia, Hickman Mills, Mo.: GENERAL: The order of General Blunt with your indorsement is received. I am directed by General Deitzler to say that while you are expected to obey all lawful orders issued by General Blunt, you are not required to report to an officer of infe rior rank for duty. The utmost harmony among the forces which this exigency will throw together is especially desirable; you cannot, however, be expected to obey an order which has neither the sanction of law nor usage. You will therefore retain your command until superseded by a ranking officer. I have not the slightest doubt that General Curtis will take the same view of the matter, and if General Blunt persists in the order a statement of the facts to General Curtis will set all right. The order and indorsement as received will be forwarded to General Curtis. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. E. LEARNARD, Colonel and Chief of Staff. For the reasons already stated I declined to obey General Blunt's order, believing as I did it was an insult to the State and well calculated to demoralize the men, and as you are aware did demoralize whole companies who had not yet crossed the line, and who refused to cross. fearing their rights as Kansas men and Kansas militia would there no longer be respected. Reports, apparently reliable and well authenti cated, had at this time reached me calculated to create the deepest alarm among our brave men in the field, who had left their wives, their families, and their property at home on the border almost wholly un protected. That large bands of guerrillas were threatening our border in the vicinity of Rockville and Mound City, and as our line was unprotected, there being but few troops of any description from Olathe to Fort Scott, and up to that time we had had no definite information of Price or his whereabouts, I determined to send a portion of the Kansas State Militia to Rockville, on the line southeast of Paola, to scout and guard the country apparently in the most immediate danger; for this purpose, and in obedience to my order, a copy of which is herewith inclosed, the Sixth Regiment Kansas State Militia, Lieutenant-Colonel Snoddy commanding, marched from camp on the 16th instant, and when out some three or four miles they were overtaken by General Blunt, as I am informed, with six companies of the Fifteenth Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and one howitzer, and were ordered to halt under penalty of being fired upon. Lieutenant-Colonel Snoddy was disarmed and sent to the rear of his regiment, and his men marched back to camp and were directed by General Blunt to elect a colonel, a lieutenantcolonel, and a major-a lieutenant-colonel in the place of Lieutenant Colonel Snoddy, whom he had deposed, and a colonel and major to fill existing vacancies; a high-handed assumption of power in keeping with his other acts. I was then placed under arrest by Special Field Orders, No. 3, issued by General Blunt, and was sent under guard to Paola. Kans. Upon my arrival there I found an order had already been re ceived by telegraph from Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis, commanding Department of Kansas, for my immediate release and return to my command. 1 was, of course, much gratified to find that that stern old patriot hero (the "Wheel-Horse of the Campaign") had seen through the flimsy pretext under which the arrest was made, and had so promptly ordered my release, and thus so pointedly discountenancing the arbitrary act his subordinate, General Blunt. In haste I returned to my brigade, nen encamped on the Big Blue, four miles southeast of Kansas City, o., and again took command. We were now engaged in fortifying our position against the approach fthe enemy, who was steadily advancing upon us. On the 21st I as ordered by Major-General Deitzler to proceed to Shawneetown nd Shawnee Mission and bring up at once all the remaining forces nat had assembled at those points, which was promptly done, and, ith the exception of a few stragglers, the entire command took up their ne of march for Westport and the crossings of the Big Blue, and ere still employed on the fortifications when the enemy appeared in ur front. The Fifth, Sixth, and Tenth Regiments Kansas State Militia were stationed at the ford at the Independence road, which ad been well fortified, and after some slight skirmishing the enemy noved up to Byram's Ford, and there, after a stubborn but ineffectual ffort on our part to impede his progress, he effected a crossing toward vening and our forces were ordered by Major-General Curtis to fall ack to Westport, Mo. On Sunday morning, the 23d instant, the nemy appeared in line of battle south of Brush Creek, near Westport. Generals Curtis and Blunt occupied a position in front and directed ur movements in person. At about 8 a. m. our entire force moved out o meet the enemy, and took position on Brush Creek, extending our ines from east to west, Colonel Jennison's brigade occupying the left, Colonel Moonlight's the right, and my brigade the center. Here the prigade was dismounted and acted as support to the batteries. The battle at this point was fierce and stubborn and with varying success, neither side gaining any decisive advantage for more than Chree hours, the rebels hotly contesting every foot until about 11 o'clock, when they began slowly falling back. Our men stood up nobly to their work and maintained their ground like veterans, and, seeing their advanTage, were eager to pursue. The enemy were now plainly feeling their way out and losing nerve. Our boys commenced and soon the whole woods resounded with loud and long-continued cheer after cheer as we drive them and push them from the timber. Our batteries are now hurried through the corn-fields, followed by the militia, who are supporting them. Here we have punished them severely; their dead are numerous and lie on the field unburied. Our loss compared with theirs is trifling. By 12 o'clock we have reached the open prairie four miles south of Westport, when we see on our left as far as the eye can reach a long column advancing toward us. We are inspired with a new and intense interest; we look and listen; we are not long in doubt; we hear the artillery of Generals Pleasonton and McNeil; they have at last reached us and given the enemy's right a taste of their powder; we now have them upon the hip; the retreat becomes a perfect rout; we cannot keep pace, with them. The battle is over, the victory won, and nobly won, and we feel that Kansas is safe; we breathe freer. We have done our whole duty; the volunteers keep up the pursuit, while the militia wait for their horses. This has been a glorious day for Kansas. She may well be proud of her militia. The Fifth Regiment, Col. G. A. Colton; the Sixth Regiment, Col. James Montgomery; the Tenth Regiment, Col. William Pennock, composed the brigade under my command, and all, without an exception, behaved with splendid gallantry and continued the pursuit closely until the night of the 24th instant, when General Pleasonton's command took the front. Seeing that pursuit was useless on their part and being almost entirely exhausted from fatigue and hunger, some of them fell behind, while others pressed on with me and participated in the fights 1 at the Marais des Cygnes, Mine Creek, Little Osage, and southeast of Fort Scott, all of which were hard-fought battles and victories gained for Kansas. Night coming on we retired to Fort Scott till the morning of the 26th instant, when I still tendered my brigade to General Curtis it needed in the farther pursuit of the enemy, but the general thought best to leave the militia to guard their homes and issued the following field orders, to wit: HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS, In the Field, Fort Scott, Kans., October 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. W. H. M. Fishback, Kansas State Militia, will return to his headquarters at Paola, Kans. His command may return to the vicinity of their homes for the present, but will hold themselves in readiness to repel raids at a moment's notice. By order of Major-General Curtis: S. S. CURTIS, Major and Aide-de-Camp. In obedience to the above order I ordered all the militia at Fort Scott from my district to march to the vicinity of their homes and hold themselves in readiness to repel raids subject to the commander in chief, among whom was the gallant Col. James Montgomery, commanding Sixth Regiment Kansas State Militia, who of my brigade was last to quit the chase; also Colonel Mitchell, commanding Eleventh Regiment Kansas State Militia, who had fallen in with the command on the way, and others who up to this time had not reported to me for duty, but are all deserving of great praise for their bravery and patriotism. I have up to this time received no official report from any of the regiments in my brigade and cannot give the precise number of killed and wounded, but from unofficial reports am assured that they are very few indeed. Among the officers of my staff who deserve especial mention are Capt. J. B. Hovey, brigade quartermaster; Surgeon Holliday, brigade surgeon; Capt. J. P. Way, commissary. The other members of my staff were relieved from duty while I was under arrest and their places were supplied by W. A. Mobley, acting assistant adjutant-general; W. W. Updegraff and Capt. S. B. Wheat, aides-de-camp, who were with me on the field at the battle near Westport, on Sunday, the 23d instant, and displayed great bravery in that engagement. I have the honor to remain, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. H. M. FISHBACK, Brigadier-General, Maj. JOHN T. MORTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 88. Reports of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, C. S. Army. Camp No. 10, Dardanelle, Ark., September 6, 1864.1 I have the honor to report leaving Camden on the 28th ultimo. The cavalry being at Princeton, I assumed command on the 29th and started in the direction of Little Rock. When at a point within seven miles of Benton I diverged with the column to the left, taking a northwesterly direction, sending General J. F. Fagan across the Saline River to make |