Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-04-03
Incidents of the West.
JOHN s. PHELPS.


 The number of prisoners taken by the feder- als, who succeeded in making their escape, is somewhat surprising. We saw Missouri Cap tain, whose name unfortunately we forget, who staid by his wounded colonel on the battle ground, and rather than leave him was taken prisoner. He was former constituent ol Phelps, but at late previous election had ex- erted himself against the tory. Phelps rode up to him and commenced cursing him, swearing that all such rebels ought to be hung, and chuckling over the capture of political oppo. nent. The Missourian stated the circumstances of his capture, it being 2 voluntary act on his part rather than desert his dying commander, and plainly told Phelps that none but cowar1 would thus abuse an unarmed prisoner. Phelps friends say in extenuation of such conduct that he was drunk, but he happened, at that time to be sober Drunk or sober he is dirty dog.
 CURTIS.
 At last VIC are able to come down to the true figures as to the loss of killed and wounded in the late battle at Ekhorn. The Confederate loss in killed and wounded was l83; that of the federals was 630. Curtis frankly admitted that the proportion of loss was terribly against him, and that he could not account for the better handling and directed fire of our artillery He admitted that he would have surrendered in two hours, had another charge been made.
 INDIVIDUALITY OF SOUTHERN SOLDIERS.
 There is vast difference between the south- ern soldier and the federal hirelings. In the camp and on the field the southron retains hs individuality and fights on whether under the eye of his commander or on his own hook" The federal fights only when in line, under the eyes of his officer, and if cut off from his com- rades is powerless. This idea is well illustrat- ed in the remark of an officer of our army to Curtis. "The Confederate soldier" said he, lis man who fights for principle; the federal is a machine who fights for pay and plunder" To make the latter effective and keep him in face of the foe, a high degree of drill and discipline is necessary. He must feel that he is support ed on the right and left. A patriot simp de- SreS to Ilgle anu goes iHto rhhh anu SuUHjIts to drill, because be is told that his fighting can, thereby, be rendered more effective. When you break the ranks and lines of federal troops they are whipped; but when you break the lines of Confederate troops the hard fighting con- mences. Then every man assumes his separate individuality, loads, takes deliberate aim and fires at will and conjugates the verb "to kill, after bis own method, without regard to rules. The federal commanders know the great want of moral and physical courage in the body of their army, and have wisely went to work to compensate for this by drill and discipline.- Camps of instruction, drill officers, incessant practice, and large bodies of men supporting each other, have given them confidence, while 1t has reduced the soldier to a mere machine. We need system which will give our troops sufficient drilling to make them effective on battle field, and place them under control so as to be moved, yet, at the same time, will preserve the Individuality of each soldier The "espsat dn eorps' is good thing, and will accomplish