ence with a portion of his own regiment and a battalion of the Sixteenth Kansas; Blunt at Hickman Mills, with Jennison's, Moonlight's, and Blair's brigades, and Deitzler at Shawneetown, with about 3,000 militia.

On the 17th Blunt moved forward toward Lexington with Jennison and Moonlight, and Deitzler to Independence with a portion of his command. Colonel Blair, at Hickman Mills, was ordered to move forward in support of Deitzler, and Colonel Learnard, at Shawnee, was directed to hold the militia at that point in readiness to move wherever they could best co-operate in the effort to crush the foe. 16th, 17th, and 18th, general headquarters were at Camp Charlot, near Kansas City. Orders were issued to provide the militia with blankets as far as possible, and to send forward rations to Independence, and every effort was made to complete the organization and equipment of our little army and to render it effective for a rapid and successful campaign. Scouts were kept actively at work, parties sent out to repair telegraph lines, and the most satisfactory information was obtained that price was advancing with his main body in the neighborhood of Lexington. Considerable dissatisfaction was manifested, and some difficulty occurred among the militia force on being ordered beyond the State line and into Missouri, but the firmness and energy of Colonel Ford, General Blunt, and, above all, the presence and personal influence of the commanding general, prevented any serious trouble, and soon restored harmony to the command. On the 19th general headquarters were moved forward to Independence, and at 4 o'clock the following morning report reached camp that Blunt, having met and fought Price's main force at Lexington, was falling back and had taken position on the Little Blue. Lieutenant Smith, in command of M Company, Third Regiment Kansas State Militia, was ordered to scout out five to ten miles beyond Blunt's position, feel the enemy, and send back intelligence, and Major McKenny was sent to Colonel Ford to give orders that the main road to Kansas City be kept open for militia purposes. Captain Hyde, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, was ordered to take the steamer Tom Morgan and twenty men of his company and proceed down the river not farther than Lexington, and if fired upon by artillery to turn back, proceed to Kansas City, and report by telegraph. General Blunt arrived from the front with Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and Third Wisconsin, leaving Colonel Moonlight holding the crossing at the Little Blue.

At 7 o'clock morning of the 21st Moonlight was attacked by the enemy in force, and, with 500 men and two howitzers, fought gallantry for two hours, falling back two miles, when Colonel Ford, with his regiment, came to his support, and at 10 o'clock General Blunt came up with Jennison's command, consisting of the Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt, followed immediately by the major-general commanding and staff, General Curtis directing in person, and exposed to a very hot fire of artillery and small-arms for two hours, and until recalled by General Lane, volunteer aide-de-camp. Our boys fought nobly all day, contesting every inch of ground, and making good their retreat to Independence in the face of Price's entire command, estimated at 25,000 cavalry, without losing a gun, camping on the Big Blue after dark, tired, and glad to be "let alone." Prisoners report Price in command in person, with 40,000 men.

In the battle of the Little Blue General Blunt was every where in the thickest of the fight, directing movements of his slender command regardless of shot and shell. He estimates our loss, killed, wounded, and missing, at 200. Colonel Moonlight, Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry,