"What have you been doing since the war!" I told him I had come West as a scout for General Sherman in 1865 and had been scouting ever since.

He was highly delighted to see me again, and from that time forward, as long as he remained on the Plains, I resumed my old position as his chief scout.
After the battle of Tupedo, Smith's command was ordered to Memphis, and from there sent by boat up the Mississippi.

We of the cavalry disembarked at Cape Jardo, Smith remaining behind with the infantry, which came on later.

General Sterling Price, of the Confederate army, was at this time coming out of Arkansas into southern Missouri with a large army.

His purpose was to invade Kansas.
Federal troops were not then plentiful in the West.