We proceeded on our march toward Boonville without especial incident until within four miles, when you with the advance guard, commanded by Captain Williams, struck the enemy's pickets, and at full speed drove them toward the town. Your order to me to follow with the brigade as speedily as possible was obeyed, but from the long march to that point (thirty-six miles) and the fact that at the mill near the road rations were being issued to the men as they passed, we did not move as compactly as would have been desirable, but the zeal of each individual man was sufficient to make the charge over the four miles distance to the town not of long duration, and the regiments were soon formed at the positions assigned them, and the battery of Captain Collins was at hand to open when necessary.

At this time you notified me that the garrison of the enemy had surrendered and ordered me to receive and take charge of the prisoners. I marched Shanks' regiment (dismounted) down to receive the formal surrender, and must compliment them for the soldierly and courteous manner in which they treated the prisoners, for many of them were known to be men who scarcely deserved such treatment. Having furnished the division provost-marshall with the men he required to guard the town, the brigade was withdrawn to the southern limits of the corporation and encamped. We had marched forty miles this day, the last four of which was at full speed, and the men and horses were both much fatigued.

On the morning of the 10th of October we were ordered to a position four miles west of Boonville. On the 12th we were ordered out to meet the enemy, but after several marches and countermarches we returned to camp without having met them. While at camp near Boonville a detachment from brigade was ordered to proceed toward the Pacific Railroad under charge of Lieutenant James Wood, adjutant of Elliott's battalion, and they burned the bridge at Otterville and destroyed the road in other ways. On the 13th we marched with the army and encamped at Mr. Marshall's, on the road from Boonville to Jonesborough. On the night of the 13th I, by order, sent Colonel A. W. Slayback with his command to proceed in a southwest direction to find and report the strength and position of the enemy who were reported to be moving from Jefferson City. On the 14th we marched to Jonesborough and encamped on the south side of Salt Fork. Just after we had gone into camp the following order was brought to me:

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF MISSOURI, Numbers -.
Camp Numbers 44, October 14, 1864.

GENERAL: You will at once send Brigadier-General Thompson with not less than 800 or 1,000 men and one section of artillery to Longwood and from thence to Sedalia to attack the Federal force at that point, should he deem it prudent. You will also instruct him to bring back with him a drove of cattle and mules said to be in that neighborhood, and return with as little delay as practicable.

By order of Major-General Price:

L. A. MACLEAN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

Brigadier General JO. O. SHELBY, PROVISIONAL ARMY, C. S.,

Commanding Division.

Upon this order and your verbal instructions I started before sundown with about 1,200 men and a section of Collins' battery, under Lieutenant Harris, and proceeded to Longwood, where I found Colonel Slayback with his recruits, with information that a large force of the enemy had passed between him and Sedalia that day. You had directed