The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-17

Mountain Railroad, and to prevent get
ting around and striking St Louis
The stores at Pilot Knob were saved
and sent hither by General Ewing, anC
that officer instructed to hold the enc
my long enough to determine if hi
whole force was there As soon as thii
was ascertained Mcneil, at Rolla, anC
Sanborn, at Springfield, were ordered
to gather in all their property, and tn,
latter to take all his cavalry to Rolla
and to make such necessary levies a,
the situation demanded. In the NEAR
time, Brown was ordered to concentrate
with Fisk at jefferson City, and place
it in state of defence, for the enemyt
main force was ascertained to be NOV
ing on it as rapidly as possible.
And now commenced the brilliant
cavalry operations of Major Genera
Pleasanton. The cavalry, about 500
strong, with eight Rodman guns, were
concentrated at Sedalia, and on the
morning of the 18th of September, ht
placed himself at Il g head, and com
msnced the pursuit The movem n
would have taken place sooner but thai
the troops had to be marched overland
owing TO the low stage of water in the
Missouri They reached the line of the
Blackwater, having marched by way ot
Jefferson City and Upton, and felt foI
the enemy in the direction of Marshal
WeVerly and Lexington.
After a severe days march, A. j
Smith also reached the line of the
Blackwater, and was in supporting dis
tauce of Pleasanton on the Doth; but
tho latter, finding the enemy gone, by
a rapid march, reached Wellington Oh
the 2lst, and Smith reached Lexington
the same morning
The action of the pursuit became
more eventful at this time, for the ene-
my had reached the Blue River, and
seemed determined to contest its pa
sage. He had three guns in position
and received Pleasantons advance with
a determined fire. Two brigades-San
born and Mcneil s-were thrown for,
ward, and a charge made upon the
enemys lines. He yielded after loss
of three guns and a number of prison
ers. He was driven through Indep a
dence. where he left his wounded, and
several dead unburied. Browns and
Winslows brigades coming up, were or
dered to take the advance. Winslow
engaged the enemy all night, fighting
him over six miles of road Brown was
ordered to attack in the morning. This
he failed to do, and was relieved, and
his command transferred to Col. Phil
lips. He opened the attack, and fight
Of five hours at Barry's Ford took
place, resulting in the enemy being
forced TO retreat on the Harrisonville
road. The divisions of Marmaduke
and Pagan were engaged. Shelby was
engaging Blunt.
While this was going on, the infan
try, under Major General A J. Smith,
had marched to Chapel Hill in order
to strike the enemys line of retreat as
it was believed to be southwark by way
of Hickman's Mills. 1t was expected
that he would move so rapidly that
Smith would have to 60 still further
down, but early in the afternoon Smith
received dispatches requiring him to
assist Pleasauton at Independence, and
it was believed by all that Price would
give battle thereabouts Smith started
and arrived at Independence at 5 o.
clock P. NJ, on the 23d, too late, oi
course, to get hand in, for Price did
not give battle, and Pleasanton had al
ready driven him south on the Fort
Scott road.
Shelby was driving Blunt toward
Kansas City, but the line he moved on
lay across that of PIeasanton, and
brought the latter on his right flank,
compelling him to turn southwark, on
the Fort Scott Road, vigorously pur-
sued. That night headquarters we're
at New Santa Fe. A messenger arriv-
ed from Mcneil, to say that the enc
my's entire force was moving south, but
he was unable to do any thing more
than skirmish Smith moved back 70
Hickman's Mills, and reached it at 2
O clock, A. NJ, on the oath.
At day ybreak Curtis started Blunt in
the advance, on the Fort Scott road,
and marched fifty-one miles, when find
ing the enemy only ten or twelve miles
ahead, he let PleasantOn take the ad
vance. The next morning, 18th, Plea
santon slipped upon the enemys camp
and found it stepped in slumber He
opene st once with all his artillery,
and threw his missiles into its midst
A perfect panic ensued- The alarmed
soldiers sprang from their sleep, deep
ened by over marching and fatigue, and
rushed for their arms, but the shower
of shot and shell grew thicker and
more frequent, for Pleasanton had ta-
ken pains TO ascertain the position of
the camp, and knew exactly where 10
rake it. The enemy fled without even
a show of resistance, leaving one gun,
twenty wagons full of plunder, and
burned thirty others, besides leaving
over four hundred head of sheep and
cattle. The road south was strewed for
some distance with equipage, and
every thing betokened the precip-
itancy of the retreat Pleasaaton fol-
lowed closely, and compelled them to
stand at Mine Greek, or else run the
risk of capture. Marmadukes and
Fagins divisions, supported by eight
guns, were thrown into position, and
for the first time battle in the strict
sense. seemed Imminent Pleasanton
had pursued with such rapidity that he
distanced his artillery. For a.mOment il
seemed that he had oyerresched himself,
but his men were eager to fight Time
could not be wasted, for eyeyy moment
was precious to the enemy, and that
decided him to attack, come veal come
woe. The charge was sounded The
enemy's lines looked as though six
times IS deep and-long as Pleasanton,
but his men were impetuous, and went
into the charge solid and compact The
enemy's lines broke at once, and did
not attempt to reform. Marmaduke
headed his column and tried 70 rally
il, bat was captured while trying to save
the train: He had advised Price TO
burn it at Independence, and foretold
evil consequences from attempting 10
save it, but became himself the victim
of his own fears 600 prisoners and
1900 stand OF arms, together with the
eight guns, completed the victory Of
the 25th-
Il now became perfectly apparent
that the infantry never could reach
Price, therefore, ROsecrans ordered
smith to Warrensburg to obtain sup
plies and ammunition, awaiting him
there. The property was gathered up
on the way, and the point reached IA
due time.
PleAsanton rested some on the night