tant post of rear-guard. This order of march was continued
during three days, and the march was so conducted that while the
advance would reach camp at a reasonable hour and be able to get
supper and rest, the rear-guard, and even the main body, would be
kept in the road until late in the night, and then, unable to find
their wagons, be compelled to lie down without food. The clamor
for relief from this hardship became so general that Major Sturgis
determined to resume the command, justifying this action upon the
ground that Colonel Sigel, although mustered into the United States
service, had no commission from any competent authority. Colonel
Sigel protested against this assumption of Major Sturgis, but the
latter was so manifestly sustained by the great majority of the
officers of the army that Colonel Sigel quietly submitted.

One of Sigel's officers proposed that the question of title to the
command be put to a vote of the assembled officers. Sturgis objected
on the ground that the vote might possibly be in favor of Sigel.
"Then," said Sturgis, "some of you might refuse to obey my orders,
and I should be under the necessity of shooting you."

The march was continued under Sturgis's command, and the column
arrived at Rolla on August 19, nine days after the battle. Here
the little Army of the West, after its short but eventful career,
disappeared in the much larger army which Major-General Fremont
was then organizing.( 1)

My knowledge of the operations conducted by General Fremont in
Missouri is so slight that I must confine myself to some account
of those minor affairs with which I was personally concerned.

My duties as assistant adjutant-general ceased when Major Sturgis
resumed command on August 13. I then took command of my regiment,
the 1st Missouri, the colonel and lieutenant-colonel being absent,
the latter on account of wounds received at Wilson's Creek. Soon
after our arrival at Rolla the regiment was ordered to St. Louis,
to be converted into an artillery regiment. I was employed in the
reorganization and equipment of batteries until September 16, when
General Fremont ordered me to visit Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Washington,
West Point, and such other places in the East as I might find
necessary, to procure guns, harness, etc., to complete the equipment
of the regiment.

While in St. Louis after the battle of Wilson's Creek, I learned
much in confirmation of the opinion of the character and abil