Today in History:

798 Series I Volume XLI-III Serial 85 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part III

Page 798 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

KANSAS CITY, October 11, 1864.

General CURTIS:

Just arrived all safe. No enemy on the river. Commanding Officer at Wyandotte says militia are flocking in beyond all expectation. Major Curtis left here last Friday; nothing has been heard from him since that day. He had no artillery. Major Pritchard considers the position here critical, but says he can hold the place against 500. Colonel Van Horn I have not seen, but learn that he has about six companies of militia, none yet mustered into the regular service. I leave for Fort Leavenworth in thirty minutes.

W. H. STARK,

Lieutenant-Colonel, &c.

KANSAS CITY, October 11, 1864.

Major C. S. CHARLOT,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Scouts report guerrillas concentrating on Big Blue, in vicinity of Hickman Mills, from 100 to 200.

J. L. PRITCHARD,

Major, Commanding.

FORT LEAVENWORTH, October 11, 1864.

Captain MOSES,

Independence:

If you have two companies send one forward immediately to reconnoiter and guard the telegraph men in repairing line. The militia must guard the town. Order the citizens on duty if you think proper.

S. R. CURTIS,

Major-General.

VALLEY STATION, October 11, 1864.

Colonel J. M. CHIVINGTON:

DEAR SIR: Thinking that perhaps a more minute description of yesterday's transactions would be interesting to you (if not necessary as a report), I will endeavor to give you a full account of the transaction and its results. In the first place we heard Sunday night of an Indian being seen dressed in full war dress and painted (was seen five miles above this at the Wisconsin Ranch, about sundown, too late to follow him that night in the bluffs); but learning from Sam. Ashcraft that there was a spring situated about twelve miles south of this, in the bluffs, and it being his opinion that the Indians were camped at those springs, I concluded to have a little surprise party on yesterday morning, and accordingly left camp at 2 a. m., accompanied by Second Lieutenant Dickson and forty of my men, and two citizens as guides. We arrived at the springs about an hour by sun and found two lodges of the red devils containing six warriors, three squaws, and one lad about fifteen, I should judge (I know he shot an arrow well), and two smaller children were said to be in the outfit, but I did not see any except the ten first named. We fired into them after getting between them and their ponies, and they returned our fire with a hearty good will, and having the advantage in the ground in the start, even dared us to the conflict; and when Big Wold (for I have learned this was the name of the


Page 798 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.