Head Quarters District of Kansas

                                                                                    Fort Leavenworth Dec 30^th 1865

To

E. B. French Esq

            2^d Auditor—Washington

                                                D.C.

                                                            Sir

                                                                        I have the honor to make the following Statement in relation to the loss of ordnance Stores pertaining to Co “G” 13^th Mo Cavalry in the Month of October 1864, for which I am responsible & in Compliance with Circular letter dated Ordnance Office. War Department Washington D.C. December 16^th 1865 a copy of which is herewith Enclosed. also a copy of the affidavit of Sergeants Davis & Lyon Co “G” 13^th Mo Cavalry.

 

                                                                        During the latter part of September 1864 the 13^th Mo Cavalry was raised & mustered into the US service at Benton Barracks St Louis Mo. The men of my Company had just been properly Sworn in when we were ordered to be Mounted & Equipped immediately for field Service. The Rebel Genl Sterling Price had meanwhile invaded the State of Missouri & was at that time marching on the City of St Louis. The Garrison at Pilot Knob had already been Surrendered. on the 24^th & 25 of September I was Mounted & Equipped & on the 26^th in the afternoon started with my regiment to the relief of the Garrison at Pilot Knob.—/

 

The Horses which I had received were all Young & Green, & but very few of them had ever been ridden more than two or three times in their lives. The mens Cavalry Sabres upon their sides, & the heavy trappings upon their backs, caused them to become for a time perfectly unmanageable. that night we march the whole of the night of the 26^th. Shortly after starting it commenced raining & during the Entire night the rain fell in torrents. &with together my unmanageable animals I had a bad time get I lost upon that occasion (13) thirteen Saddle Blankets & (10) ten Halters & Straps & (6) (8) Girths & ten pair stirrup & straps the Saddle Blankets slipped out from under the Horses while Bucking runing away &c &c & the Halters were rubbed loose from the sides of the Saddles by reason of the animals jostling against one another. while thenwhile in an unmanageable condition, the Girths were broken & destroyed & the Stirrups & Straps were Broken & lost. I sent a detail  back to look after the missing articles as soon as it was discovered that anything was lost, but owing to the darness of the night & to the fact that another cavalry command followed my regiment they were not found.

 

            On the 30 of October 1864 I was ordered to report to report to Major Genl Rosecranz for Escort duty. I reported accordingly, & was immediately thereafter, ordered to report my self & Sixty five men of my Company to Maj Genl Pleasonton, the balance of my Company remaining/under my 1^st Lieutenant with Genl Rosecranz.

 

Genl Pleasonton proceeded to Jefferson City Mo & assumed Command of all the US forces at that point. He sent out the Cavalry under Genl Sanborn in pursuit of the Enemy & remained himself at Jefferson City in order to organize the Infantry. My men were Employed as Messengers & orderlies to Convey dispatches between the Cavalry at the front & Genl Pleasentons HeadQuarters at Jefferson City. Guerillas infested the Country. upon many occasions my men were attacked by them in Superior numbers & obliged to retreat rapidly, & in so doing lost many articles of ordnance property. on one occasion a party of about fifteen or Eighteen were sent out with dispatches & after traveling all day halted near a barn & corn field for the purpose of feeding their tired animals. Some of the men having sore back Horses took the Saddles off in order to work the backs, & while doing this were attacked by the Enemy with a force far Superior to them our men obliged to retreat rapidly loosing in this transition (1) one Stores Carbine. (7) Seven Saddles complete. (7) Cartridge Boxes (8) Eight Carbine Slings & Swivels, (5) Five Sabre Belts & Plates, 5 Curb Bridles, (7) Cartridge Boxes, 9 Saddle Blankets, (7) Halters & Straps, (11) Cap Pouches & Picks.

            These articles were unavoidably lost in the Confusion & Suddenness of the attack the darkness of the night & I am fully convinced that these articles/were lost by no fault of the men. & there I was unable to get the affidavits of the men to cover this property as immediately after the campaign was over with the men were detached from this Company & were Serving as orderlies & messengers to Several General Officers, Stationed at various places.

 

                                                In the action of the Big Blue Oct 20^th 1864 I lost one man wounded who lost his Horse & Equipment & he was left on the field in the hands of the Enemy. the articles lost was as follows. (1) Carbine with Sling & Swivel, (1) one Sabre belt & plate, (1) one Saddle (complete) (1) one Saddle Blanket (1) Cap Pouch & Pick, (1) Horse Brush (1) one Halter & Strap, (1) one Sincingle, 1 Sabre, 1 Cartridge Box.

                                                In the action of the Morais des Cygnes on the 25^th of October 1864 in a charge Cd by Genl Pleasonton I lost (9) nine Saddle Blankets, which slipped out from under the Saddles & were lost upon the field during the fight & I was unable to find them afterwards, (2) two pairs of Stirups & Straps were also broken & lost on this date

 

the                   on the 19^th of October 1864 I lost at the Battle of Independence (12) Twelve pair Spurs & straps, these the men lost in the long grass while deploying & acting as Skirmishers.

 

                                                The Screw drivers & wrenches & the Brush wipes & thongs were lost at different times during the campaign & was by no fault of the men they were & were in the Cartidge Boxes of the men the men were marched & worked day & night for days/in Succession, then often attacked by bands of Guerillas while conveying dispatches.—

 

After the Campaign many of my men were ordered on detached duty & I was unable to get their individual affidavits as required by the regulations for making ordnance returns as to the loss of the property.

I hereby certify that this the foregoing is a correct Statement as to the cause for the loss of ordnance property for which I was responsible during the month of October 1864 & in compliance with letter

Geo W Yates

                                    Capt “CoG” 13^th Mo Cavalry

                                    Brevet Lt Col US Volunteers.

I certify that the foregoing statement is correct

                        (Sd) R B Kelley

                        2^d Lt Co G 13^th Mo Cavy

SOURCES