New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-04-25
NUMBER 45
LGttcr from arsxaueag.

LITTLE hGfS, l,F'.r i p il T. ic5Z,
EdR0r Rat0n Rnelge 1sdUocote--Colonel Louis
H"oet,, Naler v. +. Thnnagd aud Captain VigIini
arrived al FortSnth 1ll Ll.c evening Of March "a.
Their Tet1FA 'Ta$,EreGted with heaT:eE' demonstra-
t"is OF Joy ny an the regiment indicative alike of
the feelings Of the off!ears and men as well as the
high estimation 10 which they are hold They all
looked sadly, debi,Itateo. and worn out, having
been mach exposed as well as poorly fei during
ttHir stay among the enemy, who like our own
forces, were sparey supplied Win provisions.
From the Maj II learn that the epcn1y were in
much worse condition than my previOra letters re-
presented Their loss in killed and Wounded, if
anything, exceeded 5000, while 500 will more than
cover lhe number of onr killed an1 wouhaed.
Driven from tier positions and panic stricken, 1t
needed only d boil effort to completely have routed
their whole army. as it was they precptatc =
left Arkansas Cay Or two after the battle, think
il g our forces were again about to attack them
Perhaps more desperate fighting was never done
/ during the whole Campaign than that performed
by the brigade under Col. Hebert. We charged
and routed sEcceasiTe!y three briGades Of the en-
eIY, aud but for the unfortunate fail Of Gems. Nc
! CuItDch and Mcintosh would have been ably sup
ported by our reserve and decided the battle. As
| it was We fought three and half hours, unsup-
| ported, completely routing very largely superior
! force, and only re.faated because completely ex.
h4usted and worn cut. The battery we charged
and held so long finally being compelled to aban-
don, another belonging to Sigel's brigade. We
| killed outright II Of the enemy's cavalry who
charged upon US, not Wounding man. The 9th
Iowa Regiment lost II men killed and 237 wound
ed. Among the killed were Captains. One Of
the Federal prisoners told me that when We first
fired upon their forces, out Of company sent for
ward as skirmishcrs, we killed 10 and wounded 10.
Such are 3 few Of the many facts which tell the
desperate character Of our fighting. Tie enemy
lost every general officer in killed wounded,
| three excepted, in their whole army.
As usual the sons of Louisiana have come out of
the battle covered with new laurels. Even our
foes Gcannot be convinced that but one Louisiana
! regiment was present, and bear witness to our
desperate valor by saying they wish not to meet
rs again. Our loss now toots up Is killed, 81
| wounded.
understand there has been general exchange
of prisoners, although the majority was largely in
our favor. But enough of the battle. Let official
reports give you fu ther information.
Our reg iment left Fort Smith last week and is
| seems concentrating towards the Mississippi Val
| ley. Fort Smith and our Western border have
been abandoned. To many this has seemed an
| uncalled for movement, and complaints on this ac
| count loud and bitter, are uttered. The question
may be easily and satisfactorily explained There
| is no danger to be apprehended from an invading
| army here. Wherefore? Simply because South.
western Missouri and Northwestern Arkansas have
been literally stripped of everything calculated to
support an army. Even with friendly country
in our rear We were unable to supply the army
with necessary subsistence. Hence, it is impos-
sible for the enemy to support an army SO far re-
| moved from their base of operations as they will
be by invading Arkansas, among people, too,
hostile to them, and with constant destruction
threatening not only their supply trains, but also
| their pckets and foragng parties. Our foes know
| this too well, and hence we find them rapidly NOV
ing norhward after the late battle. In fact, they
| were nearly starved out while in this State, both
| before and this battle.
Everything points to terrible and"desperate
contest for the possession of the Mississippi valley
and troops are rapidly Fastening forward to the
rescue. May we also be there to see.
The Major has come here in advance of the re
giment to recruit his shattered energy and debit
ated system before again reporting for duty. HI
is rapidly recovering and will soon again be read,
to lead the regiment against the hirelings of th'
| BabOon King.
The regiment is now attached to the first or sec
ond brigade OF Prices army, under command o
Col. L. Hebert, who, I understand, has received
the appointment of Brigadier General No one il
more worthy of such distinction than our brave
and gallant Colonel.
There are many Of our sick in Van Buren, the re
suit Of our late hardships, yet they are being
speedily transferred to this place, where every
| possible comfort is administered to them. There
were sixty on the boat on which I came down. i
| is sad sight to many once strong anG
robust men wasting away under disease far from
home and friends, uncared for save by few
rough companions. No soft hand soothes the
| fevered brow. No loving face bends over the at
| tenuated features-as the angel of death sits hi!
seal there. | can gaze unmoved on the fearful
scenes of battlefield, tread unerringly over the
| dead and dying, remain untouched By the sight O.
mangled limbs and ghastly wounds, but the sigh
of dying soldier with an accompanying though
of home and the dear ones there will unnerve the
strongest hearted. There will ever remain the re
membrance of a scene which l witnessed or tn
Arkansas river
A boat on bar, fast aground. the rudly sar
of pine torch glittered and glistened on the ed
dying water of the stream, while the hoars
whisper Of the steam engine, mingled with thu
| voices Of men and the rattle Of the cHpstan, as th
huge spar was made to perform its work. Silent,
two coiIins were lowered into the yawl followed
by three or four soldiers | watched it reced
into the darkness. Soon lanterns feeble rays
like the ire.ily's hight appeared on shore, then
lsiled into the gloom. Not long was it ere two
rough boxes were lowered into new made graves
and fresh mounds of earth marked the spot wher
on the lonely hanks OF the river, reposed the re
mains of two of the sons of liberty. These hum
bic graves of patriots, buried in an unmarked spot
are not forgotten.