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[562] army appeared1 and united in the siege; but Curtis came up next day, and drove off the crowd, with heavy loss to them and none at all to our side. So ended the last Rebel invasion of Missouri. Gen. Smith's command had, ere this, taken boats to report to Gen. Thomas at Nashville.

Rosecrans says Price's force in this campaign was variously estimated at 15,000 to 25,000 men — that he obtained 6,000 recruits in Missouri--that lie lost 10 guns (nearly all he had) and 1,958 prisoners, with most of his wagons, and large numbers of horses, small arms, &c. It is not probable that the force he took out of Missouri, with its armament, was half so effective as that he brought into it.2

1 Nov. 14.

2 Gen. Grant, in his all-embracing report, says:

The impunity with which Price was enabled to roam over the State of Missouri for a long time, and tie incalculable mischief done by him, shows to how little purpose a superior force may be used. There is no reason why Gen. Rosecrans should not have concentrated his forces and beaten and driven Price before the latter reached Pilot Knob.

As the concentration hero suggested, in the face of a formidable army of veterans, mainly mounted, and moving with great celerity, would, if practicable. have enabled the Missouri Rebels to call out the oath-bound members of their lodges and therewith take possession of a large portion of the State, the justice of this criticism is not incontestable. A like judgment was passed on Fremont in 1861; though not by so high a military authority.

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