Numbers 71. Report of Major Theodore J. Weed, U. S. Army, Aide-de-Camp and Chief Commissary of Musters.

COMMISSARY OF MUSTERS, DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,

Fort Leavenworth, December 1, 1864.

MAJOR: In pursuance of general field orders, dated headquarters Army of the Border, Camp Arkansas, November 8, 1864, I have the honor to report that in obedience to telegraph his instructions from the field, dated October 20, 1864, I left this post on the morning of the 22nd and joined the commanding general at Westport, Mo., on the evening of the same day. As our forces had been slowly pressed back on that day by the largely superior force of the enemy, the commanding general had determined to occupy the defensive works of Kansas City with that portion of the force that had been engaged on the road leading from Kansas City to Independence, and I was directed to proceed to the line of earth-works on the east of the city and place the troops in position on their arrival from the field. This duty having been accomplished, at 10 p. m. I repaired to the Gillis house, where the general had established headquarters, at which place I remained during the night. Early on the morning of the 23rd I accompanied the general to Westport, and found on arriving there that our forces had already engaged the enemy about one mile and a half south of town. At this hour (7.30 a. m.) it seemed to be the object of the rebels to turn our right flank and heavy bodies of his cavalry could be plainly seen from the roof of the Westport hotel moving in a direction a little north of west. Our forces now began to arrive from Kansas City, and were promptly pushed out on a road leading west from Westport for the purpose of checking this last movement of the enemy. I remained with the general until 11 a. m., when I was directed to go to our right and order Major-General Deitzler, commanding a force of militia, to push his column forward and drive the rebels from the timber southwest of town, where a small body of them had taken position. On reaching the open prairie, about three miles west, I found that the attempt of the enemy to turn our right had completely failed and he had withdrawn all his force from that part of the field. I immediately informed the commanding general of this fact, when a charge through the timber south of town was at once ordered and promptly executed. On reaching the prairie beyond the timber our artillery was opened on the rebel line, distant about half a mile, with such effect as to cause its dispersion in less than half an hour. The pursuit was prompt, and three miles south of the timber our column joined that of Major-General Pleasonton, who had been engaged with the enemy on our left during the early part of the day, and our united forces were that night pushed as far south as Little Santa Fe, skirmishing with the enemy, who continued his hurried retreat.

At daylight on the morning of the 24th the division of Major-General Blunt started in pursuit of the enemy, on what is known as the Line road, and a half hour later, as the major-general commanding was about to follow, a staff officer of General Pleasonton (Colonel Cole) came up and informed him that as the division of General Blunt had already started and occupied the Line road over which the enemy had retreated, he (General Pleasonton) would take the Harrisonville road with his troops, keeping on the flank of the rebel force. General Pleasonton was at once sent for and on reiterating what the staff officer had said, was informed by Major-General Curtis that such a