Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-11-21
From the Appeal, Nov F. The Late Battle ! FULL AND AUTHENTIC PAKTICU. LARS!
DESCRIPTION BY AN EYE WITNESS.
Special Correspondence of the Appeal.
 CorrvprS November 10 1851.

that have been unable to gather the pure Soid from the dross of error that always floats on inc surf,ce in the midst of public commntlon . Besides. the duty osa soldier has lhterefred with the efficiency of the correspondence-a remissness which you will know well how to excuse
 The prologue to the tragedy of The dark and bloody ground" has been spoken, aud Ike the authors preface, it gives ind cations "l the character of the work-a succession ot hcfee and bloody scenes, in which the right ls Vlhdl- catei and error yields to the force ot saltpeter, and the persuasion ot vaor. oc,
 Thursday, the 7th day of November, lool' as vour columns have already announced, Was an eventful day to the Confederate cause Tn the northwest" the advance of the nrst column of the enemy" as prisoner haS reiharNeu' upon New O,leaas," though more property speaking, upon Columbus. Things had wore their wontcd aspect of quiet up to A. a on that morning, with the exception ot an occa- sional piece of imjudence on the pat "t the Lncolnltes, in the shape of near approaches with small bodies of their men to our lines, without any skirmishing, however, fer some two weeks.
 On the morning of the 7th, about o'clock, boats were seen landing troops some seven laI the river. near Hunters landing lnlormation was immediately conveyed to headquarters. though at first the impression prevailed that the movement was nut an attempt 10 rob some mans pautation-an act Of daring which they havo lrauuently accomplished heretofore. The number of the boal-, however, seemed to imply that they were after larger game than wa, known to be in that vicinity. The Alec Scott had freouenty been seen on these maraudlng expeditioDs. but this time she was accompanied by six other boats including two gnnbnats most of them of heavy tunnage. The process of colonization kept steadily progressing and by thenumbers landed 1t became plain that our little force on the other side of the rlver- consisting of Col. Tappan's 18th Arkansas reg inenf, Watson's battery Col. Betzhoover, and the Bolivar troupe Capt. Montgomery. and Capt Bowles' cavalry, of Lleut.-Col. Mllicr's battalion of Mississippi cavalry-were Tn i'm minent danger of an attack. Under these cir cumstances, endorsements were rapidly sent consisting of Col Ei. Picketts 2lst, Col. J. ". Wrights 18th, Col Freemans 22d and Col. J. Knox Walkers 2d Tennessee regiments. On the landing of these troops they were hastily formed in line of battle on the border ot all old field lying immediately behind the encamp- ment of Col. Tappan's regiment, skrmishers being detailed from Col. Pickett's regiment to press forward and engage the enemy at the head of the lake, Col Freeman's regiment and Watson's battery, Col. Beltzhoover, occupying the center, with the 18th Arkansas on the right. and 18th Tennessee on the left. All of this had been effected by nine o'clock, and our troops on the other side at this time may be estimated at about two thousand seven hundred men. The enemy at about ten clock came upon our advance. which received them with heavy voiley of musketry, and gradually tell back toward our main line, the Lincolnites fol- lowing them up closely until they came within range of the main body, where they were gal lantly received. Now commenced the rattling of the musk etrv and the roar of the artillery iu earnest, our line star ding firmly for ore hour and half in the face of the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, which fair calculation places between eight aud ten thousand, witn two batteries or twelve guns. The coo est courage and the most desperate valor are not always iuyincible to superior numbtrs; and our small force reIdered 1t impossible t9 extend our lines so as 10 avoid being outliankfd by the superior force of the enemy. Our position al thls time was not ar eligible ore our forces were mostly drawn up Ill the open field, Slvng the enemy the advantage of the woods, " hlch was boidered by heavy unde brush aud large numbers of cid logs which served them as i'm Iromplu breaslwoyks. Two of the guns Of Watson's battery had by this time become un serviceable through the stopping Of the vent hy their fuse, which materially :mpaired the eff ciency ot the battery, thou.h II stll Conllnued to do noble service. Under all the circumstan- ces, however, it was folly to m4intain our po- siuon before a vastly superior force, who were steadily outianklig Us, aud the orier was given to iall back and await endorsements, which was not done, however, until our little force had repelled three desperate charges by the enemy.
 Our forces, after falling back in good order, took up position on the tank of the river, where they continued firing until their ammu- milton gave out and they were comneled 10 retire under the bank in order to escape the gtlling fire of the enemy, who had taken Watson'S battery after desperate charge, and turnei 1t upon our lines, charging at the same time upon the encampmeht which had been occupied by Col. Talpan's regiment, and the Wason battery, setting tire to inc tents, and iv is said killing numLer of inyalds who were found within them. and throwing their lines upor the batk ot the river beneath which our men lay without ammunition. It is said tha, as the LincolniteS came upon the bank above them. whole force, which lay but eight or ten yards of, had bat three rounds of cartridges with which to receive .hem.
 Our men now retreated up the bank of the river to point opposite the upper end of Go. lumbu<, where Col. Carro's 10th (under Col. Tyler, of San Juan notoriety) and Col Marks Huh Louisiana regiments were being landed, which forces reached the other side ol the river between half past twelve and two o'clock
 At II o'clock A. M, orders were received for two companies of the 1st battalion, Tennessee cavalry, Col. Logwood. to cross the river. and Capt Taylos's Memphis light dragoons and Capt. W hitG's Tennessee mounted rifles (being mpanieS A and B, of the battaliou) were de- tailed and marched under Col Logw ood. In crossing the river the two companies were com- peled to take separate boats, and Capt Ia, lor's company, accompanied by Col. Logwood reached the other side before oar forces had retired pthe river. Taking position on the If tv.ng with Capt. Montgomery's Bolivar Troupe and Capt. Bowles' cavalry, under Col Miller as sharpshooters and videttes. that portion of our cavalry, when the char,e was made, were cut off from the main body ard were obliged to retreat down the river. Cant Whites company was delayed some hour or more in crossing and made the other side at a time when the landing for disemb barking our endorsements had been moved farther up the river, and were consequently with the main body at and after the time of landing.
 As soon as it became apparent hat our troops had deserted their camp on the Missouri