Sixth, and Tenth Regiments Kansas State Militia. Brigadier General W. H. M. Fishback, of the State militia, had been in the immediate command of the three last-named regiments, but being indisposed, as he said, "to turn over his command to the regular military authorities in the field" (a phrase which I could not comprehend and doubt whether he did, either) he had disobeyed General Blunt's order and was consequently placed in arrest. Lieutenant-Colonel Snoddy, of the Sixth Regiment Kansas State Militia, was likewise arrested for similar disobedience of orders, and his regiment proceeded to the election of a new commanding officer, which resulted in the veteran Colonel James Montgomery being chosen as its chief. These difficulties consumed all of the 16th and the most of the 17th and it was fully night before all my brigade had reported to me. On the evening of the 16th, at 7 p. m., General Blunt started with Jennison's and Moonlight's brigades, leaving me in charge of the camp to await orders from Major-General Curtis or himself. On taking command of the Fifth, Sixth, and Tenth Regiments Kansas State Militia, I found them without subsistence, but partially armed, and with little or no ammunition, the result, doubtless to some extent, of the hurry with which they left their homes, and the inexperience of many of the company officers in charge. Before I had the brigade equipped I received (on the morning of the 18th) an order from General Curtis to move toward Independence and to come by Westport to complete my supplies. At 8 a. m. I was on the march, and, passing through Westport, camped on the west side of the Big Blue, on the road from Kansas City to Independence. I spent the whole of the night and a portion of the next day in procuring subsistence, arms, blankets, and tents for the command. While engaged in this duty I was instructed by Major-General Curtis not to move camp until further orders from him.

On the morning of the 20th Lieutenant Robinson, chief engineer on the staff of the commanding general, arrived from the front with orders to fortify the line of the Big Blue, as General Curtis intended making his stand on that line. The 20th and 21st were spent in examining the country, felling trees, forming abatis, obstructing fords, and strengthening the defenses as much as possible. During the 21st the Fourth Regiment Kansas State Militia, Colonel McCain, and the Nineteenth, Colonel Hogan, reported to me, by order of Major General G. W. Deitzler, Kansas State Militia, and were assigned to duty in my brigade. Captain Dodge's (Ninth Wisconsin) battery had also been assigned to my command in place of McLain's, taken to the front. In the evening of the 21st, all the troops having fallen back on this line, I established my commanding its position of battle, where they supped, slept, and breakfasted next morning, their horses, together with all the transportation, having been sent back to Kansas City to avoid unnecessary incumbrances. My line of battle occupied a front of six miles, with one regiment (McCain's) still higher up at Byram's Ford, where the crossing was finally effected. Two hundred and fifty of Hogan's regiment held the cavalry ford at the mouth of the Blue, three miles from the main body of the regiment which formed my left. Next came the colored militia, and the Sixth Regiment, Colonel Montgomery. Dodge's (Ninth Wisconsin) battery and the colored battery occupied a fine artillery position in the center, cut out expressly for the occasion, supported on the right by Colonel Colton, Fifth Regiment Kansas State Militia, and Eves' (Bourbon county) battalion. At the ford two miles above was stationed Lieutenant Knowles' (Second Kansas) battery, supported by the Tenth Regiment Kansas State Militia, while sill above, at Byram's Ford, was stationed Colonel McCain, Fourth Regiment Kansas State