Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-04-05
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE BATTLE OF PEA prnaE
AN ADDRESS BY GEN. sIGEEs.
CAgP PEA RIDGE. ARKANSAS, HEADQUARTERS
FIRST AND SECOND DIyIsIoSs, March 10. 1852

CAxp PEA RIDGE. Arkansas, HgADQuARrPRs !
FIRST AND SECOND DIyIsI0Ss, March IL. 1882 !
To the officers and Soldiers ofthe Firt and Second
'DiriSioms:
After so many hardships and suifcrings of
this war in the West, great and decisive vic
tory has, for the first time, been attained,
and the army of the enemy overwhelmed and
and perfectly routed. The rebelious flag of
the Southern States lies in the dust, and the
same men who had organized armed rebel
lion at Camp jackson. Msysville and Fay
ettoville; who have fought against us at
Boonville Carthage and Wilson's Greek, at
Lexington and Milford, have paid the penal
ty of their seditious work with their lives, or
seeking refuge behind the Boston Mountains
and the shore of the Arkansas River.
The last days were hard, but triumphant.
Surrounded and pressed upon all sides ofan
enterprising, desperate and greedy enemy
by the Missouri and Arkansas Mountaineers.
the Texan Rangers, the finest regiment Of
Louisiana troops, and even the savage Indi-
ans-almost without food, sleep or camp fires
you remained firm and unabashcd, awaiting
the moment when you could drive back your
assailants, or break through the iron circle
by which the enemy thought to crush or cap
ture Us all, and plant the rcbclliOus flag ON
the rocky summit of Pea Ridge.
You have defeated all their schemes
When ut McKissick's farm, west of Benton
Vile, you eXtricatcd yourselves from their
grasp 10y nights march, and secured train
of two hundred wagons before the enemy
became aware of the direction you had taken,
instead of being cut oil. weakened and driven
to the necessity of fgiving battle under the
most unfavorable circumstances, you joined
your friends and comrades at Sugar Greek
and thereby saved yourselves and the whole
army being separated and beaten in detail
On the retreat from Bentonville TO Sugar
Creek-a distance of ten miles-you cut your
way trough an enemy ut least five times
stronger than yourselves. The activity, self
possession and courage of the little band of
600 will ever he memorable in the history Of
this war.
When. on the next day, the great battle
began, under the command of Gen. AsbOth,
YOU assisted the Fourth Division with all the
Cheerfulness and alacrity of good and faith
ful soldiers-that division ON that day hold
ing the most important position-while Col.
Austerhaus, cooperating with the First Di-
vision, battered down the hosts of MCCulloch
on our left, and Major Paten guarded our
rear.
On the Sth, YOU came at the right time 10
YOU had of showing your full strength aud
power. In less than three hours you formed
In line of battle, advanced and cOopcrated
with our friends on the right, and routed
the enemy so completely that he fled like
dust before hurricane. And 81 it Will al
ways be when traitors seduccd by selfish
leaders and persccuted by the pangs of an
evil conscience, are fighting against soldiers
who defend great cause, are well drilled
and disciplined, obey promptly the orders OF
their officers, and do not shrink from dan
gerous assault when, at the proper and de-
cisive moment, it is necessary.
You may look with pride on the few days
just past, during which you have SO glori-
ously defended the flag ofthe Union. From
O'clock ON the morning of the 9th, when
YOU left McKissick's farm, until O'Clock on
the eventful morning of the 9th, when you
arrived from Keetsville in the common en-
campment, YOU marched fifty miles, fought
three battles, took not only n battery and Il
flag from the enemy, but more than hun
dred and irty brisoners-among them acting
Brig. Gen. Herbert, the Commander of the
Louisiana forces, and his Major, Col Stone,
Adjutant- General OF Prices forces, and Lieut.
Col. John ii. Price, whose life was twice
spared, and who has now for the second
time violated his parole, and was arrested
with arms in his hands.
You have done your duty, and you can
justly claim your share in the common glory
of this victory But let us not be partial,
unjust or naughty. Letus not forget that
alone we were too weak to perform the great
work before us. Let us acknowledge the
great services done by all the brave soldiers
of the Third and Fourth Divisions, and al
ways keep in mind that ''united We stand,
divided We fall" Let us hold out, and
push the work Throughout by mere words