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462 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 462 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

ments, thus reducing the regiments to six and eight companies and the number of regiments to ten, aggregating 4,500 men, which I formed into three brigades, as follows: The First Regiment, Colonel W. P. Fenn; Second Regiment, Colonel E. Stafford; Eightieth Regiment, Colonel L. J. Rankin; Eighty-fifth Regiment, Colonel W. J. A. Smith, forming the First Brigade, numbering in the aggregate 1,750 men, to be commanded by Brigadier General Madison Miller, who was ordered to proceed without delay with his command and dispose of it so as to effectually protect the bridges and fords of the Meramec. Immediately after issuing the above General Miller he was detached from my command and has since reported directly to district headquarters United States. The Second Brigade consisted of the Third Regiment, Colonel Vahlkamp; Sixth Regiment, Colonel T. Niederweiser; Tenth Regiment, Colonel H. Hildebrand, commanded by Brigadier General C. D. Wolff; aggregate, 1,200 men. The Third Brigade consisted of the National Guard of Saint Louis, Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Parker; Eleventh Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel E. Beekman' Thirteenth Regiment, Colonel J. B. Marcy, commanded by Brigadier General George F. Meyers; aggregate, 1,500 men.

Pursuant to orders from district headquarters the three companies of cavalry commanded by Major f. Walter were ordered to encamp at Fort Numbers 6, and report to Colonel J. H. Baker, commanding post Saint Louis. On Friday, the 30th of September, the necessary equipments for the Second and Third Brigades having been received and the division fully organized, the three companies of cavalry took up the line of march at 4 p. m. October 1 along the turnpike to Laclede, where at 7 p. m. I encamped and immediately reported to Major General A. J. Smith, at Kirkwood, for orders. On the 3rd of October I moved forward and encamped at Kirkwood. On the 4th of October Captain S. H. Julian, commanding Battery I, Second Missouri Artillery, reported to me with his battery and was ordered to proceed along the turnpike to Gray's Summit, escorted by the cavalry of Major Walter's command, and I embarked with my infantry on the cars, arriving at Franklin at 6 p. m. During the embarkation at Kirkwood a terrific rain-storm came on, pouring down with the greatest vehemence for more than an hour, and drenching the men who were in line or placed on open platform cars. Yet all orders were obeyed with alacrity and the embarkation was completed in an orderly and soldierly manner. At Franklin my division was kept in line or lying on their arms for twenty-four hours in momentary anticipation of orders were received to go into camp, and on the 6th the division was reviewed by Governor Willard P. Hall. On the 7th orders were received to take up the line of march west, and notwithstanding the absence of necessary transportation the division moved at 12 m., every man apparently pleased at the prospect of at last joining in the pursuit of the invaders. At Port William on the Springfield road we made a junction with three brigades of the Right Wing of Sixteenth Army Corps, and moved along in their rear toward Union, where we encamped at 9 p. m., Captain Julian, with his battery and the cavalry, having reported and joined us during the day. The lateness of the hour to which it was necessary to march in order to reach proper camping-grounds caused some straggling of the men, who from inexperience and want of proper transportation had encumbered themselves with surplus articles of clothing and an undue quantity of subsistence. During the night, however, all came up, and at 8 a. m. on the 8th we against took up the line of march after waiting


Page 462 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.