and this gave the boys no ground for complaint; but
they were constantly harassed by the fear that the future had something
ominous in store for them.

Price retreated as Fremont advanced, and a second battle was fought at
Wilson's Creek, during which the commander of the Union forces made a
cavalry charge that is still spoken of as one of the most brilliant
episodes of the war. But when Fremont was displaced by Hunter, the
latter fell back toward Rolla, thus allowing Price to recover the ground
from which he had just been driven. He was prompt to take advantage of
the opportunity, this time directing his columns toward Kansas, with the
intention of getting supplies for his troops, and cutting the State off
from all communication with St. Louis. But Halleck succeeded Hunter on
the 18th of November, and before a month had passed away Price in turn
was compelled to retreat, his men being captured by the thousand,
together with large quantities of arms and supplies of ammunition and
provisions. It began to look now, to quote from Dick Graham, as though
the boot was on the other foot. Instead of running the Yankees out of
Missouri, the Yankees had run them out, fairly and squarely, for when
Price went into camp it was over the line in the State of Arkansas.
Every one of the plans that the Confederates had made for keeping the
State in their possession and capturing St. Louis, had been broken up by
the strategy of the Union generals. The battle of Belmont, which took
place in the month of November, has been called a Confederate victory,
but it was not so in reality. General Grant didn't fight that engagement
because he cared a cent for Belmont, for he knew he could not hold it if
he got it. All he wanted was to keep the Confederates from sending
troops from Columbus, Kentucky, to co-operate with Price in Missouri. He
accomplished his object by keeping Polk busy at home, and Price was
driven into Arkansas.

"And we are here with him," said Dick to his friend Rodney, as the two
lay beside their camp-fire at Cove Creek, talking over the situation.
"We said we never would go out of Missouri."

"That is what you said," replied Rodney. "After the farce those old
women went through up there at Neosho, taking the State out of the Union
when they had no authority over it, I knew we were going to see trouble.
And mark my words: we have only seen the beginning of it."

Either General Halleck's army was not as strong as he would like