The Civil War on the border..

Front matter

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BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE

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Preface

The first volume of my " Civil War on the Border " met with such favorable reviews by the leading journals of the country, and the demand for it by the public has been such, that it has appeared to me advisable to issue the second volume of the work, the two volumes covering the field of operations in that section during the war. In saying that I am the only writer who has attempted to cover that particular field of operations during the war, I do not mean that other writers have not covered, more or less completely, particular campaigns in that section. My diaries of events relating to the war in that section for the years 1863-65 cover in outline the operations described.

In the examination of several thousand witnesses in that section since the war while in the Government service investigating property and pension claims, many important facts were obtained by making extracts from depositions and using the matter where it had an appropriate bearing. A good many of the chapters consist almost entirely iv PREFACE.

of material tVawn from officers and soldiers who participated in the events described and whose statements were taken down with the care of taking a deposition. The descriptions of the larger operations are mainly based upon the official reports as published by the Government, and these reports have also been used in verifying the accounts of minor operations as far as practicable. Having participated in the operations described, and having subsequently for years travelled over that section sifting the testimony of witnesses relating to the war, I may perhaps justly claim special advantages for doing the work which I have undertaken.

A number of gentlemen who have manifested an interest in the work have furnished me valuable data for its preparation. I am particularly indebted to Colonel George S. Grover, of St. Louis, Missouri, who loaned me his manuscript notes of- the Shelby Raid of 1863 and the Price Raid of 1864, on which I have drawn in connection with other material.

The substance of some of the chapters has appeared from time to time in the National Tribune, Washington, a paper that has given a great deal of space to the literature of the war, having as contributors nearly all the leading Federal Generals of the late war.

It has not been an easy matter to fix a limit to

PREFA CE. V

the field of operations described in this work. After some consideration, I determined to embrace in the work the operations of the Army of the Frontier, even if that army should go beyond the limits of the territory appropriately designated as the Border, meaning by the Border the western parts of the States of Missouri and Arkansas and the eastern parts of Kansas and the Indian Territory. When, therefore, the Army of the Frontier was merged into and became a part of the Seventh Army Corps, and was ofificially known as the Frontier Division of that corps, it seemed appropriate that I should describe its operations. I have therefore described the Camden Expedition and given one chapter to the Building of the Red River Dam for the passage of the gunboats, because these operations were intimately connected with the operations in which the Frontier Division was actively engaged.

WILEY BRITTON.

Washington, 1898.

I. The Army of the Frontier Retires from

Northwest Arkansas 1-15

Remarks on the Prairie Grove campaign — Difficulties of holding a position south of the Boston Mountains until the Lower Arkansas should be opened to navigation — The Army of the Frontier retires from Rhea's Mills and Prairie Grove to the north line of the State — General Scliofield in command — New disposition of the troops of the Army of the Frontier — The Indian Brigade under Colonel W. A. Phillips sent to Maysville on the line of Arkansas and the Cherokee Nation to protect the loyal Indians — The other troops of the Army of the Frontier distributed over wide area in Northwest Arkansas and in Southwest Missouri — Loyal refugee Indian families winter at Neosho, Missouri — Execution of ten bandits at Palmyra, Missouri, by Colonel John McNeil, and the excitement and comment it caused — His act defended — Action on Little Blue River, Missouri.

II

Operations of the Indian Brigade in Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri . 16-29

Large numbers of refugee families — Their sufferings and hardships — Indians and negroes not disturbed by social status — Organization of a Kansas colored regiment — Foraging off the country — Operations against the bandits — Colonel Phillips prohibits pillaging — Organization of an Indian regiment — Cherokee Council discusses the slavery question — Slavery among the Indians — Smallpox breaks out among the Indian troops — Both sides preparing for the spring campaign — On the march to the Indian Territory.

via CONTENTS.

III. Paces

Federal Occupation of Fort Gibson, Cherokee

Nation 30-43

Desolation of the country by the war — The Indian Brigade enters the Cherokee Nation and occupies Fort Gibson — The refugee Indian families return from Neosho, Missouri, and join the Indian Brigade at Park Hill, Cherokee Nation— Many of them go to their homes — Confederate Generals Steele and Cooper endeavor to force Colonel Phillips to evacuate Fort Gibson — Importance of the position— Description of the place and the country around it — Indians employed in erecting new fortifications — Difficulties in guarding the long Federal supply line — Dissatisfaction among the Southern Indians — Colonel Phillips crosses the Arkansas and disperses the rebel Cherokee Legislature at Webber's Falls — Death of Dr. Gillpatrick after the skirmish — Confederate General Cabell advances north of the Boston Mountains in Western Arkansas.

IV

Action at Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Repulse OF General Cabell .... 44-60

Operations of Federal troops under Colonel M. La Rue Harrison at Fayetteville — Recruiting loyal Arkansans for the Federal service —Improved appearance of the recruits dressed in the new Federal uniforms — Confederate General Steele assigned to the command of the Indian Territory — Finds great demoralization of the Confederate forces in his new command — Colonel Harrison sends heavy scout to the Arkansas River to capture steamboats and to break up partisan bands — Unionists from Texas reach the Federal lines — Confederate General W. L. Cabell assigned to the command of the District of Northwestern Arkansas — He determines to attack the Federal force at Fayetteville — His night march and arrival near Fayetteville at daybreak — He makes a vigorous attack on the Federal force — After four hours' hard fighting the Confederates are repulsed and retreat — Colonel Harrison evacuates Fayetteville and falls back to Cassville, Missouri.

V. Fighting Guerillas in Northwest Arkansas

and Southwest Missouri .... 61-73

Colonel J. F. Philips sends out scout from Elkhorn — General Herron sends scout to Kingston, Arkansas, to destroy saltpetre works

CONTENTS. IX

— Skirmish on Crooked Creek, Arkansas, and capture of Confederate muster rolls — Colonel Cloud assigned to the command of the District of Southwest Missouri — He makes a scout through the southwest Border counties — Livingston's guerillas make a raid on Neosho and capture stock — Major Eno skirmishes with Livingston's guerillas on Centre Creek — His method of operating against the guerillas — Major Burch makes a scout into McDonald County — Lieutenant Kelso has a personal encounter with bandits — Bandits take the oath of allegiance and violate it — Bold exploits of Captain Kelso.

VL

Attack on Federal Train, and Action at

Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation . . . 74-86

Confederate troops in Western Arkansas and Indian Territory becoming more aggressive — The Confederate commanders threaten to interrupt Federal supply line — Guerillas attack a forage detachment of the colored regiment near Baxter Springs, Kansas, and show no quarter to the colored soldiers — Colonel Williams gets even with the guerillas — Colonel Phillips makes reconnoissances to hold the Confederate forces south of the Arkansas River — General Cooper keeps advised of the movements of the Federal trains — Southern forces attack Fort Gibson and are repulsed — Federal stock captured while grazing — Attack on Federal train near Fort Gibson repulsed.

VII. Action at Cabin Creek, Cherokee Nation . 87-100

General Cooper determines to make another effort to capture the Federal supply train — A Confederate force under Colonel Watie sent north through the Cherokee Nation to threaten Federal rear — He is attacked by Federal force under Major Foreman and driven south of the Arkansas River — Skirmish on Greenleaf Prairie — General Cabell to cooperate with General Cooper in an effort to capture the Federal train — Colonel Phillips sends troops to reinforce escort to his train — Colonel Watie attacks Federal escort at Cabin Creek and is defeated and his force dispersed — General Cabell unable to cross Grand River and support Watie — Gallant charge of the colored regiment under Colonel Williams.

X CONTENTS.

viii.

Action at Stockton, and Death of Major

Livingston loi-iii

Major Livingston as a Southern partisan leader— His attack on the Union militia in the court-house at Stockton, and death — Description of the fight— Pursuit of the guerillas by the Union militia Capture of Greenfield by Colonel Coffee in 1862— The attack on the Union militia at Greenfield by guerillas repulsed— Incidents of guerilla methods and cruelty.

IX. Battle of Honey Springs, Creek Nation . 112-126

The fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson and the defeat of General Holmes at Helena, Arkansas, enables Federal forces in Western Arkansas and the Indian Territory to assume the offensive— Major- General Blunt arrives at Fort Gibson with reinforcements and assumes command of Federal forces in the Indian Territory — He determines to cross the Arkansas River and attack the Southern forces under General Cooper at Elk Creek — Confederate General Steele orders General Cabell in Western Arkansas to reinforce General Cooper — General Blunt makes a night march — The battle of Honey Springs described — Defeat of the Confederate forces and destruction of General Cooper's depot of supplies — The Federal troops capture handcuffs which the Confederates had intended to put on colored soldiers if they took any — General Cabell arrives too late to participate in the fight — General Blunt returns to Fort Gibson.

X

After the Confederate forces under General Hindman were driven south of the Arkansas River, Southern bandits commenced drifting back to Missouri River counties — A detachment of Colonel Penick's Missouri militia attacks Southern bandits near Independence, Missouri — Mistaken notions of influential Kansans in asserting that there was no loyalty in Missouri — A rational policy of dealing with the guerillas now and then suggested, but not adopted — The suggested policy was to remove Southern families south of the Federal lines — General Thomas Ewing, Jr. , assigned to command of District of the Border — Quantrill, the bandit leader, returns to his old haunts in Jackson County, Missouri — Major Ransom skirmishes with the guerillas — Colonel Lynde burns houses in Missouri — •

CONTENTS. XI

Colonel Adams makes a raid into Missouri and takes property from Union militia as well as from secessionists — Rumors of guerilla concentration for a raid into Kansas — Colonel Lazear on the trail of the guerillas — Quantrill enters Kansas with three hundred men — Marches to Lawrence without opposition — He sacks and bums the city and murders 150 citizens — He escapes into Missouri with his booty with slight loss — General Ewing issues his famous Order Number Eleven.

XI. Arkansas 149-164

Colonel Cloud marches to reinforce General Blunt at Fort Gibson — General Cooper reinforced by General Cabell — Colonel Catherwood disperses Coffee's command near Pineville — General Blunt crosses the Arkansas River to attack Steele and Cooper — Steele and Cooper retreat to Perry ville and are overtaken by Blunt — After a short skirmish the Confederates retreat, abandoning their depot supplies — General Blunt marches for Fort Smith and takes the place without a battle — Action of Backbone Mountain — Colonel Cloud assigned to command of post of Fort Smith — Skirmishes in Northwest Arkansas.

XII. The Shelby Raid in Missouri in October

1863 165-193

Colonel Shelby leaves Arkadelphia, Arkansas, with picked men from his brigade and two guns, for an expedition into Missouri — He crosses the Arkansas River and enters Southwest Missouri without serious opposition — He attacks and captures a detachment of Missouri State Militia at Neosho, and burns the court-house — He marches northeast and crosses the Osage River at Warsaw, having burned the court-houses at Greenfield and Stockton — He is pursued by the Federal forces under Colonel Edwards and Majors King and Eno — The Federal forces of General Brown in Central Missouri march to meet the raiders — Lieutenant-Colonel Lazear attacks Shelby near Tipton and again at Dug Ford on Lamine River — Colonel Philips comes up with the Seventh Missouri State Militia and assists in driving the raiders from their position on the Salt Fork of the Lamine River — A rainstorm and darkness ends the fighting — General Brown sends Colonel Lazear with one thousand men to head off Shelby at Marshall — The action at Marshall and cutting in twain of Shelby's command with loss of one gun —

Xn CONTENTS.

Colonel Philips compels Shelby to abandon his train — Shelby turns south in demoralized retreat and is pursued by Colonels Weer and Lazear and by General Ewing to the Arkansas line — Shelby's force under Colonel Hunter loses his other gun near Humansville, Missouri— Incidents of the raid.

XIII

General Cabell withdrawn from Northwest Arkansas — Major Houts skirmishes with Livingston's band on Spring River — A battalion Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry stationed at Carthage— Captain Kelso in a hand-to-hand conflict with guerillas — Skirmish near Neosho and death of Lieutenant Smith — Brief sketch of life of Captain Kelso.

XIV

Arrival of General Blunt at Fort Scott from Fort Smith — His successful campaign south of the Arkansas — Reports of threatened guerilla movement against Fort Scott — A military post established at Baxter Springs — General Price reported to be marching upon Fort Smith — The report causes General Blunt to hasten his return to his command at that place — No active guerilla movements reported in the Border counties of Missouri — Quantrill moving south caused an alarm at Fort Scott — General Blunt and escort leave Fort Scott for Fort Smith — The hostile forces marching on nearly parallel roads — Quantrill attacks the post of Baxter Springs and is defeated — He then attacks General Blunt's escort in sight of the post — Nearly two thirds of the escort killed.

XV

Military Operations in Southern and Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas . 226-236

Quiet in Southwest Missouri after the Shelby Raid — Southern guerillas on Neosho River in Southern Kansas — Party of Southern officers killed in Southern Kansas by Osage Indians — Missouri militia return to their stations — General Sanborn in command of the District of Southwest Missouri— Operations of his troops in protecting the military telegraph, the mails, and the trains— Expedition of General Holland into Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas— Death of Alf. Bolin, the bandit — Scout of Major King

CONTENTS. XIU into Northern Arkansas — Captain Worthington skirmishes with Southern partisan bands^Raid of Colonel Watie into northern part of Cherokee Nation.

XVI

Operations in the Indian Territory — Expedition TO Old Fort Arbuckle — Action AT Cabin Creek and Capture of Federal Train 237-252

General Maxey assigned to command of Southern forces in the Indian Territory — He visits the Choctaw Council and urges the Choctaws to remain at home and raise crops — General McNeil sends an expedition under Colonel Phillips from Fort Gibson in the direction of Red River — Success of the expedition — A detachment of the Indian Brigade from Fort Gibson collecting supplies at Rhea's Mills, Arkansas— Federal Indians at Mackey's Salt Works manufacturing salt — The Southern Indians show activity on the opening of spring — Quantrill crosses the Arkansas River above Fort Gibson, marching north — Captain Anderson from Fort Gibson makes a scout into the northern part of the Cherokee Nation — Major Burch from Neosho skirmishes with Southern Indians — Action at Flat Rock and burning of Federal hay — Action at Cabin Creek and capture of Federal supply train.

XVII

Preparations to extend Federal operations south of the Arkansas River — Plan of the campaign contemplated three Federal columns converging upon Shreveport, Louisiana — General Steele leaves Little Rock with two divisions of troops-r-General Thayer leaves Fort Smith with the Frontier Division — Difficulties of the march — Steele waiting for arrival of the Frontier Division — Steele's rear-guard fiercely attacked by Shelby near Okolona — Hard fighting on the Little Missouri River — The Confederates obliged to abandon their position — Arrival of the Frontier Division and uniting of Steele's forces — General Steele continues to advance — Action on Prairie d'Ane — Steele manoeuvres Price out of his intrenchments at Prairie d'Ane and then marches for Camden — Price pursues with part of his army and fiercely attacks the Frontier Division — The race for Camden — General Marmaduke gets ahead of Steele, but is driven off — Steele enters Camden, the fortified city, with his army with little opposition.

XIV CONTENTS.

XVIII. The Battle of Poison Spring, Arkansas . 278-291

Information received of the defeat of General Banks above Natchitoches— General Steele nearly out of rations for his troops and forage for his animals — His cavalry captures the steamer Homer with a cargo of corn — Large forage train sent out under Colonel Williams — The escort to the train is attacked by parts of three divisions of Confederate mounted troops— Desperate fighting of the colored regiment— Capture of the train near Poison Spring — No quarter shown to the wounded colored soldiers.

XIX. The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas . 292-311

General Steele advised of the arrival of General E. Kirby Smith at General Price's headquarters to assume command of Confederate forces — He brings with him three divisions of Confederate infantry from Louisiana — Arrival of General Steele's supply train from Pine Bluff — After unloading, the train is sent back under heavy escort for further supplies — General Smith sends out a large mounted force and artillery to intercept and capture the train — The Federal escort under Colonel Drake attacked near Marks' Mill — After desperate fighting the train and most of the escort captured by the Confederates — General .Steele evacuates Camden and retires towards Little Rock — He is pursued by the combined forces of Generals Smith and Price — The Federal rear-guard overtaken near Jenkins' Ferry on Saline River — The battle of Jenkins' Ferry — Defeat of the Confederate army — Federal forces out of supplies and unable to follow up their success — General Steele retires without interruption to Little Rock.

XX. The Building of the Red River Dam that

Saved the Mississippi Squadron . . 312-330

The Red River Expedition not planned by General Banks — Difficulties of carrying out the plan of the campaign — The three Federal columns on the march and en route by transports to Shreveport, the objective of the campaign — Cooperation of the Mississippi Squadron under Admiral Porter — After his defeat at Sabine Cross Roads General Banks retires to Grand Ecore and Alexandria — Red River falling instead of rising — Admiral Porter's fleet caught above Alexandria Falls by low water — The threatened disaster to

CONTENTS. XV the fleet — Colonel Bailey conceives the plan of raising the water on the falls by a dam — The building of the dam — The fleet passes over the falls through the chute and rides in safety in the smooth waters below.

XXI

General Sanborn sends an expedition into Northern Arkansas to check intended raid — ^Skinnish on Tomahawk Creek — Confederate force moves to the Federal rear — General Holland, in command of Federal forces, disperses Southern partisan bands — Sergeant Jones' detachment sustains heavy loss on Rolling Prairie — Confederate Colonel Freeman defeated with heavy loss on Sylamore Creek — Colonel Phelps' operations in Northern Arkansas — A detachment of his regiment loses train and sustains heavy loss on Richland Creek — Major Melton's successful operations against Colonel Sissell in Limestone Valley — Colonel Harrison's operations against Watie's Indians and Captain Brown's guerillas — Colonel Bishop disperses guerillas in Northwestern Arkansas — Captain Worthington attacks and inflicts heavy loss in the ranks of guerillas — Major Greeno's scout in the direction of Batesville.

XXII

Return of the Frontier Division to Fort Smith from the Camden Expedition — The Federal forces in Arkansas on the defensive — Large quantities of army supplies brought up the Arkansas River to Fort Smith — Supply boats frequently attacked by guerillas — Difficulties of keeping the river open to navigation between Little Rock and Fort Smith — Union refugees encouraged to go north — They were subsisted by the Government and consumed supplies needed by the troops — General Maxey advances his troops north towards the Arkansas River — Confederates capture the steamer y. R. Williams with supplies for Fort Gibson — General Thayer sends a force under Colonel Crawford up the Arkansas to attack the Confederates — Colonel Crawford skirmishes with Confederates at San Bois Creek.

XXIII. Quantrill's Bandits Repulsed by Union

Militia at Lamar, Missouri . . . 3S3-362

Federal scouts under Major Cosgrove and Colonel Allen on trail of Quantrill's bandits in Southwest Missouri — The bandits pass near

XVI CONTENTS.

Carthage— The bandits attack the Union militia at Lamar and are repulsed and driven off— Colonel Blair at Fort Scott, hearing of the attack, sends a detachment to reinforce the militia — The bandits march north to Missouri River counties — Union militia evacuate Lamar — Captain Taylor's company of Southern men burn most of Lamar — Scout from Neosho under Lieutenant Baxter to Centre Creek— Skirmish with guerillas and death of Lieutenant Baxter and Dodson Britton.

XXIV. Military Operations in Western Missouri . 363-374

Little activity of guerilla bands in Central and Western Missouri during the winter of 1S63-64 and spring of 1864 — Vigilance and active scouting of the Federal troops in the spring of 1864 — Information of Quantrill returning to western Missouri River counties — Federal detachment attack bandits in a house near Germantown and compel them to surrender — Federal detachment under Lieutenant Couch attacked by Quantrill's band near Chapel HiU — Colonel McFerran concentrates his forces to move against the outlaws— The Federal troops adopt guerilla methods — Disaster to Federal detachment under Corporal Parman — A Federal detachment under Sergeant Shackleford attacked and sustained a heavy loss while guarding train above Lexington — Expedition from Kansas under Colonel Moonlight into western counties of Missouri — The Kansas forces unable to find any considerable number of guerillas.

XXV

Federal forces in North Missouri operating against the Southern bandits — The Federal troops obliged to be divided up into small detachments — Atrocious acts of the bandits — Captain Tifiin attacks them near Wakenda Prairie — Information of General Price's advance north of the Arkansas River to invade Missouri causes intense excitement — The bandits of North Missouri immediately commence to display activity — Bill Anderson's attack on Fayette repulsed by Missouri militia — Anderson marches northeast into Randolph and Monroe Counties — Major Johnston starts out with a detachment in pursuit of the bandits — The bandits capture a train at Centralia and take off it and murder Federal soldiers — Major Johnston engages the bandits — His command overwhelmed and nearly all killed— His men who were captured and wounded were murdered.

CONTENTS. xvii

XXVI. The Price Raid in Missouri — Battle of

Pilot Knob 387-413

After the failures of the Red River and Camden expeditions, the Confederate leaders determine to send an expedition into Missouri — General Shelby sent north of the Arkansas River to interrupt Federal communications north of Little Rock — His exaggerated reports of his achievements — General Price assigned to the command of the expedition into Missouri — After final preparations he decides to cross the Arkansas River at Dardanelle, above Little Rock — The expedition of 12,000 men and fourteen pieces of artillery on the march — Shelby joins Price near Batesville, Arkansas — The invading army reorganized at Pocahontas into three grand divisions — The Southern army invades Missouri in three columns which form a junction at Fredericktov^n — Invaders skirmish with the Missouri militia — St. Louis and Jefferson City, General Price's objective — General Rosecrans, commanding Department of Missouri, finds difficulty in ascertaining Price's objective — Price marches to attack Pilot Knob — General Rosecrans orders the concentration of his troops to defend St. Louis and Jefferson City — Price attacks Pilot Knob with two divisions — His troops repulsed with heavy loss — He makes preparations for another assault — General Ewing evacuates the place during the night, blows up his magazines, and retires to Leasburg — Ewing's retreating fight against great odds — Murder of Major Wilson.

XXVII. Missouri 414-432

General Rosecrans concentrates his troops for defence of St. Louis and Jefferson City — The Enrolled Missouri Militia called into active service — Price marches to Richwoods, near St. Louis, but decides not to attack the Federal forces defending the city — He marches for Jefferson City — The Federal brigades of Sanborn and McNeil arrive at Jefferson City a few hours ahead of Price's advance — Confederate forces form line of battle in front of fortifications, but decline to make an assault — Price marches for Lexington, Kansas City, and Kansas — The Federal forces in pursuit of the Southern army — General Pleasonton in command of the Federal forces in the field — Sharp actions at Russellville, California, and Boonville — The Confederates tear up the railroad and burn bridges on their

XVIH CONTENTS.

line of march — General A. J. Smith's infantry and artillery brought forward — Price receives several thousand recruits at Boonville — He sends General Clark with a large force to capture Glasgow.

XXVIII

Organization of the Kansas Forces — Mobilizing THE Militia — Skirmishes at Lexington, Little Blue, and Independence . 433-45°

General Curtis, commanding Department of Kansas, informed of Price's movement north through Arkansas — The Federal commander also informed of General Gano's advance north through the Indian Territory and capture of Federal supply train — Rapid advance of the Confederate forces west of St. Louis up the Missouri River determines General Curtis to ask the Governor of Kansas to call out the militia — The Kansas militia to concentrate at Olathe and Shawneetown for organization and equipment — Confederate forces rapidly advance towards the Kansas border — General Blunt, with Kansas Volunteer forces, marches into Missouri to meet the Southern army — Foster's battalion of Missouri cavalry joins the Kansas forces— General Jeff. Thompson captures Sedalia — General Blunt marches to Lexington and engages Price's advance under Shelby — Federal forces retire to Little Blue and take up strong position — Actions at Little Blue and Independence— General Curtis' forces concentrated behind the Big Blue River and establish line of defence.

XXIX. Capture of Glasgow, Paris, and Carrollton, Missouri 451-460

The concentration of the Federal troops at Jefferson City and St. Louis left the smaller stations to be held by the Missouri militia- Colonel Harding disembarks his command at Glasgow and assumes command of post— He was not advised that a large Confederate force had crossed to the north side of the Missouri River and threatened him with immediate attack— On hearing that the Confederates were advancing he makes hasty preparations for action- General Clark opens on the Federal position with artillery— Severe fighting for two hours— The Federal force surrounded and Colonel Handing obliged to surrender— General Clark crossed his command to the north side of the river on a steam ferryboat captured at Boonville —Confederates capture Carrollton and murder six prisoners.

CONTENTS. XIX

XXX. Battles of Independence and Big Blue, Missouri ........ 461-474

General Pleasonton assumes command of the Provisional Cavalry Division — General A. J. Smith's infantry division within supporting distance — Active Federal operations against Price — Pleasonton's advance overtakes Price's rear - guard at Little Blue — A running fight to Independence — Battle of Independence — Brilliant charge o£ Pleasonton's cavalry and capture of Confederate battery and prisoners — Vigorous pursuit of the Confederates — Desperate fighting in the dense darkness of night — -Pleasonton forces the crossing of the Big Blue — Stubborn fighting — Artillery brought into use on both sides — The Confederates driven at all points — The Southern army cut in twain — Shelby by desperate charge breaks through the Federal line and joins Price — General McNeil's serious mistake.

XXXI. Skirmish on Big Blue and Battle of Westport, Missouri 475-488

General Curtis makes the Big Blue River his line of defence — The Kansas militia brought up — Preparing for the struggle — Federal troops assigned to their positions — Strengthening the line of defence— Pressed from the rear by Pleasonton's cavalry, Price's advance attacks Curtis' line — The Southern forces force a crossing at several fords on the Big Blue — The Federal forces abandon the line of the Big Blue and fall back on Westport and Kansas City — Hearing that Pleasonton was pushing Price, General Curtis marches his troops out of Kansas City during the night to the front — Disposition of his troops for battle — General Shelby makes a fierce attack on the Federal line — The Federal troops driven back to Westport, but advance again — Shelby, finding himself cut off from Price by Pleasonton, withdraws his division from the field.

XXXII

The Federal forces of Missouri and Kansas unite at Indian Creek — General Price retreats rapidly down the State line — The Federal forces take up pursuit of the Confederates the next morning — Federal advance under General Sanborn comes upon the Confederates in camp on the Marias des Cygnes about midnight — He commences

XX CONTENTS.

PAGKS

the attack before daybreak — The Confederates move out — The hot pursuit over the prairies — The brigades of Colonels Philips and Benteen to the front — Confederates brought to a stand at Mine Creek — Gallant charge of Colonels Philips and Benteen and capture of Confederate artillery, two generals, and many prisoners — Demoralization of the Southern army — Action at Little Osage — Southern army seized with panic and destroy their train — Dispute and bad feeling between the officers of Generals Curtis and Pleasonton over the trophies of Mine Creek — Pleasonton declines to take further part in the campaign by his presence — List of casualties in Pleasonton's cavalry division.