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

Page 526 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

estimates his loss at 100 killed and wounded. Colonel Ford reports his loss about 60, including Major Smith, killed while gallantry leading his men in a charge. General Curtis was attended on the field by Honorable James H. Lane and Colonel John Ritchie, volunteer aides-de-camp; Major McKenny, aide-de-camp; Major Charlot, assistant adjutant-general; Captain Meeker, chief signal officer; Lieutenant Roberts, acting aide-de-camp; Lieutenant Hubbard, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Quinby, acting signal officer, also acting aide-de-camp. Colonel S. J. Crawford, volunteer aide-de-camp, was on the field until ordered back to assist General Deitzler in forming our line on the Big Blue. Major Hunt, of the staff, was in the thickest of the fight commanding section of howitzers, supported by the general's body guard.

Early on the morning of the 22nd we were "in the saddle" and "to the front," the general in person correcting the position of batteries and lines. General Grant, of the Kansas militia, was ordered to send scouts out toward Pleasant Hill, and also toward Independence, to give notice of any flank movement by the enemy, and send reports every thirty minutes. Colonel J. J. Sears (lieutenant-colonel Eighteenth U. S. Colored Infantry), reported and assigned to duty as volunteer aide-de-camp, was sent to General Blunt with orders to send information every thirty minutes. General Lane having reported column of enemy moving west of our position, General Blunt was directed to send Colonel Moonlight with his brigade to look after it, and guard against any flank movement, and Colonel Cloud, volunteer aide-de-camp, ordered to Westport to halt the militia where they are until further roders. At this time, 11 o'clock, Jennison was holding Byram's Ford and Moonlight Hinkle's Ford. Colonel Ford reporting that heavy columns of enemy were moving in direction of those fords, General Deitzler and Blunt were both ordered to send forward re-enforcements. We held the line of the Big Blue until 3 o'clock, when the enemy in large force turned our right flank, and orders were issued to the several commanding officer to withdraw within the lines of the fortifications at Kansas City, which was successfully accomplished by 6 o'clock. An hour afterward, news having been received that Pleasonton was in the rear of the enemy with a considerable force, General Deitzler was ordered to re-enforce Moonlight and Jennison, who were holding the advance position. A prisoner, Captain Van Valkenburgh, commissary of subsistence rebel army, reports Price in command in person, with 35,000 troops, under Shelby, Marmaduke, Fagan, and Tyler, division commanders.

Sunday, 23d, was fought the battle of Westport. Our troops were under arms at daylight, and almost immediately the commands of Colonels Jennison, Ford, and Moonlight were hotly engaged, the enemy largely outnumbering us and pressing us back upon the town of Westport. Colonel Blair was ordered forward with his militia brigade on the right, and the Second Colorado, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Kansas, were ordered to charge in center and left, which was handsomely done, while McLain's battery and the escort of howitzers were doing fine execution among the heavy ranks of the enemy, whose lines threatened to envelop our little army. By 12 o'clock Pleasonton's guns on our left could be distinctly heard, and before two hours the rebels gave way in all directions, retreating rapidly and directly south. At 2.30 p. m. the general and staff halted an hour at Indian Creek, ten miles from Westport, where General Pleasonton and staff were already waiting. After an interview, at which were present Generals Curtis, Blunt, Pleasonton, Deitzler, Governor Carney, and Senator Lane, and a number of staff officers, we continued our march to Little Santa Fe, where


Page 526 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.