having 'no rights which a white man was bound to
respect.'

"Colonel Williams says:

'I had long been of the opinion that this race had a right
to kill rebels, and this day proved their capacity for the
work. Forty prisoners and one battle flag fell into the
hands of my regiment on this field.'

"The loss to the regiment in this engagement was five killed and
thirty-two wounded. After this, the regiment returned to Fort Gibson and
went into camp, where it remained until the month of September, when it
again moved with the Division against the confederate force under
General Cooper, who fled at our approach.

"After a pursuit of one hundred miles, and across the Canadian river to
Perryville, in the Choctaw Nation, all hopes of bringing them to an
engagement was abandoned, and the command returned to camp on the site
of the confederate Fort Davis, situated on the south side of the
Arkansas river, near its junction with Grand river.

"The regiment remained in this camp, doing but little duty, until
October, when orders were received to proceed to Fort Smith, where it
arrived during the same month. At this point it remained until December
1st, making a march to Waldron and returning via Roseville, Arkansas,
and in the same month went into winter quarters at the latter place,
situated fifty miles east of Fort Smith, on the Arkansas river. The
regiment remained at Roseville until March, 1864, when the command moved
to join the forces of Gen. Steele, then about starting on what was known
as the Camden Expedition. Joining Gen. Steele's command at the Little
Missouri river, distant twenty-two miles northeast of Washington,
Arkansas, the entire command moved upon the enemy, posted on the west
side of Prairie de Anne, and within fifteen miles of Washington. The
enemy fled, and our forces occupied their works without an engagement.

"The pursuit of the enemy in this direction was abandoned. The command
arrived at Camden on the 16th of April, 1864, and occupied the place
with its strong fortifications without opposition. On the day following,
Colonel Williams started with five hundred men of the 1st Colorado, two
hundred Cavalry, detailed from the 2nd, 6th and 14th, Kansas regiments,
and one section of the 2nd Indian Battery, with a train to load forage
and provisions at a point twenty miles west of Camden, on the Washington
road. On the 17th he reached the place and succeeded in loading about
two-thirds