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

Page 546 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

m., making since starting in the morning forty-two miles. October 28, marched twenty-five or thirty miles, and in the afternoon fought the rebels at Newtonia. October 29, Generals Sanborn and McNeil having received orders to return to their respective districts, we returned to Neosho to feed and stopped over night; distance, six miles. October 31, traveled twenty-seven miles and bivouacked near Keetsville.

November 1, cold rain and snow; marched ten miles and camped in the vicinity of Pea Ridge. November 2, rained and snowed all day; laid in camp; received orders to distribute what rations there were, with the view of pushing on to save Fayetteville. November 3, snowing terribly, and road bad; marched fifteen miles and camped at Cross Hollows. November 4, messengers arrived from Colonel Harrison, stating that his post was attacked in the morning and possibly captured; made a night march of twenty miles, arriving at Fayetteville in time to save it, as the enemy, hearing of our approach, had hurriedly abandoned the place during the night; left Captain Dodge's battery there. November 5, left Fayetteville; marched eleven miles and camped at Prairie Grove. November 6, made twenty-five miles; camped on the Line road, passing through Cane Hill, a rebel hole, where we found forty or fifty prisoners starving and dying, who were paroled. November 7, marched before daylight, making, bad as the roads were, thirty miles, our stock being in bad condition, destitute of corn, and grass poor. November 8, marched some twelve miles through bottom land, and saw the rebels crossing the Arkansas River. By direction of General Curtis hurled a few more shell after them as a parting salute.

I have the honor, general, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. HUNT,

Major and Chief of Artillery, Department.

Major General S. R. CURTIS,

Commanding Department of Kansas.


Numbers 69. Report of Lieutenant George T. Robinson, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, Chief Engineer.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Fort Leavenworth, November 10, 1864.

COLONEL: In obedience to your request, I have the honor to submit a statement of different conversations held with Major-General Rosecrans and officers of his staff, October 26 and 27, 1864.

In obedience to an order of Major-General Curtis, a copy of which is hereunto annexed, under date of 21st of October, 1864, I left the line of Big Blue at midnight and proceeded to Kansas City with my assistants and immediately called out the citizens and militia to work upon the lines of fortification there. The battle of Westport commenced at daylight of Sunday, October 23, and the enemy commenced his retreat at about 12 m. of this date. I should here state that on Saturday night at 12 o'clock, in a conversation with General Curtis I understood him to say that he had no precise knowledge as to where Major-


Page 546 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.