After the engagement Rosecrans sent me a dispatch announcing the result.

This was brought by a courier.

There was no road between Burnsville and the position then occupied by Rosecrans and the country was impassable for a man on horseback.

The courier bearing the message was compelled to move west nearly to Jacinto before he found a road leading to Burnsville.
This made it a late hour of the night before I learned of the battle that had taken place during the afternoon.

I at once notified Ord of the fact and ordered him to attack early in the morning.