lant rebel army had passed over, with only one or two pieces of artillery remaining of the three complete batteries with which it entered Missouri, and its numbers reduced by 10,000 since the rout at Westport. In this camp, November 8, was received the order of the general commanding dissolving the Army of the Border, and attaching to the First Brigade for the homeward march the Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, First Colorado and Ninth Wisconsin Batteries, with nearly the entire transportation of the army, and in pursuance of which order the brigade on the morning of the 9th took up it return line of march proceeding very slowly, however, on account of the nature of the roads, rendered almost impassable by frequent rains experienced for several days previous and continuing after our arrival at the river. From the difficulty of procuring forage, and the total exhaustion of rations, the march northward was necessarily very much retarded, it requiring eighty days to reach Fayetteville, which post we reached on the 16th of November. But before proceeding farther it became my most painful duty to record the loss of two of the most efficient and faithful officers of my command, Captain Orloff Norton, Company L, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, and First Lieutenant Emmett Goss, Company M, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, who were undoubtedly murdered while in charge of foraging parties in the vicinity of Cane Hill on the 12th of November, as all search for them has proven fruitless, and when last heard from they were closely pursued by a large force of guerrillas said to be under command of Lieutenant Tucks, C. S. Army. Always faithful in the discharged of their duties, never hesitating in the execution of any order however hazardous, Captain Norton and Lieutenant Goss had endeared themselves to the entire command by their uniform kindness and affability toward all. Their loss is one which can be illy sustained by the regiment, and their memory will ever be cherished by all whose good fortune it was to be associated with them. On the same day (12th) First Lieutenant J. T. Smith, commanding Company E, Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, in charge of another party, was attacked by an overwhelming force of bushwhackers, and in the fight which ensued Lieutenant Smith was very severely if not fatally wounded, he having been left in a critical situation at the hospital at Fayetteville, Ark. He was struck in the back and thigh, the former shot going through the body and coming out below the left breast. The latter was a severe and painful flesh wound. Lieutenant Smith will probably be permanently disabled for active service, if indeed he recovers from the effects of his wounds.

I take pleasure, however, in mentioning him here as one of the most deserving officers of the Fifteenth Regiment, and one whose determined bearing throughout the several actions in which the brigade was engaged entitles him to the highest praise. Leaving Fayetteville we continued our march northward thorough Keetsville and Bentonville, Ark., and Sarcoxie and Lamar, Mo., arriving at this post on Wednesday a. m., the 23rd of November, 1864, having marched since leaving Hickman Mills, on the 16th day of October, about 1,200 miles, during the most inclement season of the year, without adequate transportation for supplies, subsisting mainly upon the country through which we passed. The loss in horses has been heavy owing to the want of proper care and forage, and the exposure to which they have been subjected, as well as the numberless killed or wounded in action, all of which loss will, of course, be properly accounted for in the various returns to the respective departments entitled to receive them. Government property of other kinds has been abandoned from the absolute impossibility of transportation, which will also be fully explained in the proper manner.