weary advance or the dark and pitiless retreat, where death is fleet as the wave of its sable banner, he was always the same heroic soldier, ready at all times and under all circumstances.

The scythe of the reaper

Takes the ears that are hoary;

But the voice of the weeper

Wails manhood in glory.

After Colonel Shanks fell, Colonel Smith assumed command, and the enemy were pushed until dark, when my tired and weary division bivouacked seven miles from Jefferson City. Colonel Gordon after severe fighting forced a passage at Castle Rock and pushed out on the Jefferson road. At Dixon's plantation, seven miles from the ford, he again encountered the enemy after dark, when after a severe engagement of ten minutes' duration the Federals fled in great confusion. Gordon opened communication with me and then bivouacked for the night also. After General Fagan had driven in the enemy's outposts on the next day, I marched round the city and invested it on the west and northwest and sent 100 picket men under Major McDaniel, of Elliott's regiment, to the Pacific Railroad. He returned the next morning, having cut telegraph communication and picket up several prisoners.

The next morning after the march had been commenced away from Jefferson, Lieutenant-Colonel Schnable, placed on picket near the fortifications on the south, was furiously attacked by a superior force. The gallant colonel repulsed the first charge, but they came back re-enforced, and Schnable whipped them again, but the third time he charged them first, drove them 500 yards, when he met another line which pressed him so heavily that he was forced to retire with 4 killed and 14 wounded.

Striking California early on the morning of the 8th [9th], I found Colonel Smith already ahead of me, whom I had sent the night before on a visit of destruction to the Pacific Railroad, which visit will be long remembered for riven track, bridges, and everything else that would break or burn. Not halting a movement in California, I left the rear guard in charge of Brigadier General M. Jeff. Thompson, who had been assigned by General Price to command my old brigade, and pushed on with my advance for Boonville, where rumor located from 100 to 800 Federals. About an hour before sunset I came upon their outlying pickets three miles from town, which Captains McCoy and Williams charged furiously, driving in their heavy reserves, and followed them pell-mell into Boonville and to within thirty feet of a heavy and strong fortification. Here the Federals were held at bay until the artillery could come up, for I am unwilling at all times to sacrifice life when nothing is to be gained by it; but in the meantime I threw Elliott's battalion toward the river below and Williams' above, thus rendering all attempts to cross the river by the ferry-boat abortive. While waiting for the battery a deputation of the oldest and most respected citizens came to me with information that inside of the fortification was one company of Southern men and boys, impressed into service by the iron hand of despotism. I was then very unwilling to open fire upon the fort, and departed so far from my usual habit in such cases that I sent them a flag for a conference. This interview ended with an unconditional surrender, and with a guaranty on my part of that protection accorded to prisoners of war. Yet, in spite of this and of the reflection it would cast upon me as a soldier and officer of honor, the guards were charged by some persons in nothing save the name of Confederates, and