New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-04
BATTLE OF TEE CACHE, ARKANSAS
100 Uniouists ngainst -, 900 Rebels" Terrible
Carnage - Col. D"vcy in Command Official

HFsDeUAErERs SEcosD BRIGADE.
Ggy. SrKELa's DVIsioS, \. ). w, July e, lis'
CArTAIs: purruaut 10 crders, l directed Col
Harris with parts Of ioar companies OF his resl-
nent, The lth Wisconsin Infantry and parts OF onr
companies of the SD Illinois Infantry. aud one small
steel gun of the lst Indiana Cavalry, IN all little
less tnan 400 men, to make Reconnaissance III au-
vance Of onr lues He fell in with tie Rebel pick
cts at Hills plantation, and fred on them Passing
the forks Of the road NJ this place toward Bayou De
View, he had proceeded but Ii shors distance when
overlook and turned Lin back, with instructions TO
hasten down the Des Arc road, and ii IJssibie res
cue q prlsOner Just captured He marched rapldly
for halt a mile, and fell into an ambush. Tue WOODS
swarmed with Rebels ana the firing was ter1ilc.
have siuce learned that over 600 Texas troops
were here drawn up in line of battle. Capt Milier
led our advance and was Immediately followed by
let Lieut.. Chec.ebro, both OF whose companies We're
deployed as eklrmisbers These companies begmtne
fght The lit lc cannon was planted short distance
TO the lett OF the road and opened lire. Inc heoei
advance fell back on the main line, which was con
ceaci by thick under brush from our men. CCl. liar
ris pushed on bis advance until they came within
range, when suddenly the enemy began mnrderous
fire. Our force. thus iercsly and uueXpo fedly as-
sailed, was ordrfed to fail back and in executing
this order fell into little confuiou. The Rangers
char.ed. Here Col Harris waa severely wounded,
hut st kept his Lorre and though iairtIng, fought
| h 81 now reached the field. The Rebels, inl
regiment strong, were charging a. a ga.lop on tue
liile steel gun which was left with Lieut.. Denue-
man aud one man. All Others were gone. Capt.
Potter and his company here came to the res ne,
aided in limbering up, and WltllsoOd tie charge OF
cavalry till the gun had fairly gained the road " hen
il was taken in charge by Lieut.. Partridge. Capt
Potter was seriously wounded.
now ordered tie gun up the road in haste, and
the infantry into the c0rnield. As the Rebels, con-
ident Of victory, came charging up the road at iuii
speed, and in great force M pursuit, the infantry
fired. The Rebel column htsitsted, but moved on.
Another vclley, and the ground was covered with
tllsr dead. RlGerless horses rushed Wildly IN all
directions. The Rangers wayered and baiied. The
third lire completed their decentralization and over
throw. They left as suddenly as they came, and III
great disorder.
1t WAS ROW certain that we had engaged a large
force Of well-aImed men; how large, II was impos-
sible TO tell nor did know their strategy, or have
any but the most imperfect idea OF the topography
OF the al jacent grounds.
1t seemed prndent therefore, TO hold the position
already chosen, and which had proved TO be good
one, and wait events | soon discovered large
cavalry force fling past, IN front OF my position, but
Just beyond musket range. When fully III front
ihev halted and ordered a charge. l could ais.
tincty hear the order" Charge; charge on the
cornfi Id - but. for some reason, no charge was
made. The column was again put IN motion, with
the intent, as / supposed, 20 gain my rear aud cut
off commune ltiOn and re-cuiorccnents. Fortu-
uately, the force which had been ordered back from
the first onset was now IN position 10 check this
movement, and again the Rebels forced TO
treat.
Hardly had this movement failed, when | was
app r.sed of an attempt TO turn my l,f, and mgned-
3teiy dispatched Capt. Elliott and his company to
thwart IL. During these shiflngs of positions
could plainly rec them caiins Tor their dead ana
wounded, aud removing them, but to what extent /
have no means Of telling. They now formed on
their original Inc Of battle aud moved upon them
* ending my line I'll 10 became merely line OF
10 prevent beng ih.nked, 20 great was
{ ne dlsproporiiOn 81 the forces. No men could
behave more Handsomely tlan lid tie Wisconsin
] D. ON NV right, Aui the Illinois SD, on my lti
while Lieut.. Dcnueiuan, with his gun, supported 10y
hare infantry force ne could spare, held the
center. Tie Rebels gave way, aud, while driving
them from the ield heard shout IN the rear, and
before fully Complaining what II meant. Lieut.
Col. Wood OF tne let Indiana Cavalry, with one
battalion ard TWO more stccl guns, came cmierug
no. Il was the work 81 "A moalclt for Lieut.. Baser
70 unlImter bis pieces and gct ia position. be
woods were soon alive With fhot aud shell. TIE
retreat became IA rout. oar cavalry, bed by MAJOR
Cendenning, charged vigorously and the day was
ours.
Already 10 o. The enemy's dead have been found
while their prisoners and The officers IN charge OF
the flag OF truce speak oil The terrible carnage,
and estimate their dead at more than .DJ and their
wounded nj y slill greater number. Their lose IN
dead was undoubtedly much greater than the ITO
W nose bodies were found. have been unable 10
Ascertain tie number Of their wounded, or % make
Il reliable estimate; nor have report OF the prls-
oners taken. A large number o; Torres were cap
tured, and many left dead Oh TIE held. SiXiy-st
were counted within an area Of bali mile square.
Our loss was killed and "a wounded.
The Rebel ioroe--IeXas u0Ops-engaged in the
fight could not have been far from 300 men, and
was supported by s;l larger reserve force all I'LL
der the commard of Gen. Rust.
The loyal force less than 400, increased Just
al the close 10y a cavalry force Of about 2OO.
Where officers and men 70 mi ornly behaved well,
can almost say heroicay, It is, perhaps, invdiOus
to partlcutZe; aEC yet may be pardOnei for cali
ing attention to the gailan, conduct OF Col Harris
and Capt. Miller OF the 18th Wisconsin; Maj. Glen
oenuing of the LEI Indiana Cavalry, and Capt l.. III.
Potier Of the SD Illinois. Surgeon ii. L. Strong
was the field throughout the action, and lis ser
vices deserve recognition.
Later IA The afternoon re-enforcoments csme mp,
and Gen Benton pursued the fleeing foe five or six
miles toward Dee Arc, killing several aud taking
prisoners. al along the rOlte he found the house
filed with the dead and wounded; curb--tOues were
wet with blOOd, and ia ease even the water oil
the We'll was crimson VITA gore. Gen. Benton 8
force consisted Of the Sth Indiana Col Sunk; q
rectiOn of Maut,ra Battery lst Missouri LIGHT Ar
tiiery, Lieut S,hocid; part Of the lth Nscol siu,
MAJOR Plat; one hONi'zer from BOwen's Battalion;
Tue l3lh Illinoi- Cavalry, Cob Bell, and battalion
Of the BIB Illinois Cavalry, under Mui. Aprorson.
After the battle, gad while the wounded were be-
in collected and cared Tor, another body Of le0es
~ peared on TIE bayou De View Road and drove IN
our pickles. l Immediately selt lieut.-Coi. Wood
OF the IN Ousiu, with force OF infantry, aud
the 1T Indiana Cavalry, to pursue and capture diem.
lie proceeded tp Iay On De view, rh1llca the Rob-
10 from their camp, ah1 prevented tne burning ui
ne bridge, on which iHggois hid already been pi q.
BY ths tii.e q WAS daIk. aua the 4or.-s rested.
Very lespectili.y f., your ebrdrnt .rryant
4. T.. nDhLi. Col .lc Commanding
To CaIt J. ". Ptrpr cE, a 5. General.
FROM GEN. POPE's AHNT.