From here the line of retreat was strewn with arms
and abandoned camp equipage. The enemy did not call at
Fort Scott, passing some miles to the eastward. Our com-
mand spent the night there and worn out men and horses
were sent back to Kansas City.

At daylight the next morning we were on the road

FIGHTING PRICE AND THE BUSHWHACKERS II5

pursuing the fleeing rebels, passing through Granby and
Carthage. No stand was made by the enemy until the 28th.
The Army of the Border again in the advance, with the
Second Colorado in the lead, about 3 130 p. m. reached
the hill overlooking the town of Newtonia, some three-
fourths of a mile distant. The rebels were to be seen
in two lines of battle between the town and the
river. Our line was formed for a charge, the Fifteenth
Kansas on our right, the battalion of the Sixteenth on our
left. The battery, taking position, opened the ball and was
firing shells into the town.

General Blunt ordered the charge and away we went
over the mile of prairie between us and the first line enemy.
In our immediate front a large force of the rebels was post-
ed behind a rail fence. They did not run and we lost many
men killed and wounded. Captain Thomas Moses of Com-
pany "M," on the right of Company "F," was wounded
severely in the neck. His men seeing him fall, for a moment
faltered. Lieutenant W. H. Pierce, who was very slow of
speech, took command of the company, and to cheer it on,
said : "Never mind, boys. Captain Moses is only wounded,
give 'em hell ; their powder ain't worth a d — n." I was
near Lieutenant Pierce and heard his encouraging words.

The battle raged fiercely. When General Blunt
ordered the charge he supposed General Sanborn's brigade
of General Pleasanton's army was in supporting distance,
but General Sanborn had halted at a cornfield some eight
miles back to feed his horses with the result that the
little band, about one thousand in number, facing the entire
available force of Price's army, seven or eight times larger,
was about to be taken in by the rebels under the command
of General Joe Shelby, when General Sanborn at the head of

Il6 SIXTY YEARS IN COLORADO

his splendid brigade swept down on the right flank on the
enemy, which gave way, and the field was won.

The wounded of both armies were cared for, and
the dead buried. Two noble women of Newtonia, Mrs. Cole
and Mrs. Horton, rendered great service procuring delicacies
for the wounded and articles needed for their comfort.