Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-03-06

tthe river, two and aohalf Aaies below us, from w hich latter encampment stream of fresh troops>was continually pouring garoHnd us on his line Of investment, and t{ns strengthening. his general encampment on the extreme right. At each of his, encamP- mepts, and on each road he had in position battery of field artillery, and twenty four I-pound iron guns on siege carriages. Be- tween these encampmcnts on the roads, was thick under growth Of brush and black jack, making 1t impossible toadyance or maneuvre any considerable body of troops The plan of attack agreed upon and di- leeted by Gen Floyd. to be executed was, that with the main ,bodyzofthe forces of our. left wing. should attack the right wing of the enemy occupying and resting upon the nights reaching to the bank of the river, accompanied by Col. Forests brigade of cavalry; that Brig. Gen. Buck her, with the forces under his command, and defending the right of our line, should strike the enemy's encampmentan and forces on the Wiln's Ferry road; that the forces under Col Heiman, should hold his posi- tion, and that each command should leave in the trenches, troops to hold the trenches \ In this order of battle 1t was easy to De seen that if my attack was successful, and the eremy routed, that his retreat would be along his line of investment toward the I Vim Ferry road and thence towards bis reserve at the gnnboats below. In other words my success would roll tha enenny's force ;n retreat ever upon Gen. Buckncr, when by his attack in Hank and rear, we could cut ap the enemy and put him com pietely to rout Accordingly dispositions were made to. attack the enemy, at five O clock A. M of the 25th, 1 moved out of my position to engaged the enemy. In less than one half hour our forces were engaged.
 He was prepared to meet in advance ot his oncampment, and he did meet me before 1 had assumed line of battle and while l was moving against him without any formation for the engagement. For the first half hour of the engagement was much em barrassed in getting the command in position prop crlv to engage the foe. Having extri- cated myself nom the position and fairly engaged him, we fought him for nearly
 
 vance upon him. He contended this field most stubbornly. Tine loss of both armies at this portion of the field was heavy. The enemy's particularly, as l discovered by riding over the field after the battle with Gen. Floyd The enemy having been forced 10 yield this portion of the field, retired slowly towards the Winn'S Ferry road Buck ner's point of attack, He did not retreat but fel back fighting rcontesting every inch of ground.
 The fight was hotly anal stubbornly con tested on both sides, and consumed the day till twelve o'clock, to drive him as far back as the centre where Gen. Buck nors command was to flank him. While my command was advanicng and slowly driviRe him, Eas anxious Ny expecting to hear Gen. Duckner's command open tire in hi, rear, which not taking place was ap
 prehensivc of some misapprchenaion of orders, and cane from Che field of battle within the work. to learn what was the matter there found the command of Gen. Duckner gassed behind the ridge within tho work taking shelter from the enemy's artillery on the Winn'S road, 1t having been forced to retiFc before tho battery as | learn from him Ny force was still slowly advancing, driving tue enemy to- wards tho battery ] directed General Buclncr immcdiately to move hls com. mand round. 10 the rear ofthe battery, tulu- ing it's left, keeping in the hollow, and at tack and carry it,
 Before the movement was executed my force, forming the attacking party on the right, with Forrest regiment (cavalry1 gAllantly charged the battery, supported by body ofinfantry, driving it and forced the battery to retire, taking six ptaoes of ar ticry, fo'lr brass and TWO twenty four iron gdus In pursuing the enemy falling back from this position, Gen. huckner's forses | became united with mine, and engaged the enemy in hot contest of nearly an hour, with large forces of fresh troops that had now met us. This position oi tho enemy being carried by our joint lolces, l called off farther pursuit after seven and half hours of continuous and bloody confict- After the troops were called off, orders were immediately given to tha as different coaWandS t. i0ria an0 retire to their orig cinal positions in the intrechments.
 The operations of the day had forced the entire command of the enemy around to our right wing, and in frort of Gen.
 Buckner's positiun in thc iatrenchments, and when lis command reacLed his posi-
 ton, he found the enemy rapidly advancing
 to take possession of this portion of his
 work lie had a stubborn conflict, lasting
 ono and half hours, to regain 1t, and the enemy actually got possession of the ex-
 treme right of his position, and he ilqld it
 so firmly that ho could not dislodge him :. The position thus gained by the enemy
 was a most commanding one, being i'm
 mediatoly in the rear of our river battery
 and field work for its protection. From it
 he could readily turn the iptrenohed work
 occupied by Gen Hutkner, and attack him
 in reverse or advance under cover of an intervening ridge directly upon our battery
 and field work. While he held his posi-
 tion, 1t was manifest we conld not hold the
 main work or battery. Such was the con dition of the armies at nightfall, after 2 | hours of conflict, on the iath inst, in which onr loss was severe, and leaving not
 less than 5000 of the enemy dead and
 wounded on the field, Wo left on the 1 field nearly all his wounded, because we
 could not remove them. We left his 1 dead nnbu1ied because we. could not bury | them.