brigade from the Department of Missouri, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Benteen, joined the army, and a return bearing date the same day shows the accessions. On the 4th of November the army reached Fayetteville, Ark., and on marching from that post was further strengthened by the greater part of its garrison, under command of Colonel Harrison, First Arkansas Cavalry.

A return dated the 8th of November, 1864, shows the strength of the army, including Colonel Harrison's command, at the close of its existence. The information upon which these letter returns were based was mostly obtained verbally on personal application to commanding and staff officers of brigades, regiments, and sometimes of companies. Very few commanders had come into the field prepared or expecting to make returns of any kind during the active operations of the campaign, and furthermore their time and thoughts were engrossed by, to them, more important matters. These and other difficulties under which I labored, and which it would occupy too much time and space to particularize here, together with my own inexperience in the duties to which I was assigned, must be my excuse for the incompleteness of these returns and the imperfect manner in which those duties were performed.

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

JOSIAH M. HUBBARD,

First Lieutenant, 11th Kans. Vol. Cav., Actg. Sig. Officer, late A. A. A. G.

Major General S. R. CURTIS,

Commanding Department of Kansas.

Numbers 77. Report of Lieutenant Cyrus M. Roberts, Seventy-eighth Ohio Infantry, Acting Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, December 15, 1864.

SIR: Deeming it my duty, I most respectfully submit the following report:

On the 22nd of October, during the afternoon, when Colonel C. R. Jennison's command was attacked at Byram's Crossing of the Big Blue, your ordered me at Westport, Mo., to go to Hickman Mills, Mo., and order all the forces that might be there to immediately re-enforce Colonel Jennison. Arriving at the Mills I found Major John M. Laing in command of a part of the Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and delivered him your order. His command was feeding. I also saw the Twenty-first Regiment Kansas State Militia, which was just ready to mount. I delivered your order to the colonel (Lowe) commanding, and his regiment moved immediately forward "at a trot." I again went to Major Laing, as I did not see him preparing to march, and insisted upon his hurrying forward. Upon this he ordered his command to prepare to march, and I left him to follow on. I then rode forward and caught up to Colonel Lowe. When we arrived on the brink of the hill descending to the Big Blue we saw right ahead of us, as far as the eye could reach, clouds of dust along the road, and knew it must be the main column of the enemy advancing. In a very few minutes (perhaps five) the Twenty-first Kansas State Militia had dismounted and formed in line of battle