The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1862-05-03
OFFICIAL REPORT o. COZ DOD0E. cox
Al TME DATtLE O1kfRk~RID0e.

M1spass i t1r s.sek13si1H Siylsls'
HrAD-auAnrrns 1sr HaioADf I'm DrvrssoH,
Pa Aldgs sattis-nsid, Ark. March 10 -.
CXr1Arx /: / have the honor TO submit th
following report Of the psrt taken By 81
LIST Brigade OF the Its DiviSioD, 10 th'
battle Of the 9th 7th, and 9th also, Of th
killed, wounded and missing.
On the morning Of the 7th l wss ordere'
to take position With my Brigade near Elk
horn Tavern, on the Springfield road. Or
my arrival, | discovered the ensmy in th'
timber, about one-half mile to the right
and brought up . section Of the let low
battery, which opened the battle, DOM
good execution.
Tho enemy fed to the hollow, when do
ployed my line, covering % much grouod y
possible, placing Major Mcdonnell, com.
manding svo battallions Of the Sd Illinoil
Cavalry, on the right ; the 35th Illinois In
fautry on the left, and sending forward
. company Of skirnishers from the III
Iowa, who soon became sharply engaged.
causing the enemy to open on 10 With shell.
solid and grape-shot, and fully discovering
to 10 their position. Four pieces Of the firs'
Iowa bat cry were planted or the Spring.
field road, near the EIkborn Tavern, and
opened on the enemy's batterie, to the right,
Capt. J. A. Jones and Lieut. Gamble were
wounded here. Soon after thi., the 35th
Illinois' right became holly engaged Tin the
attack made 10 the morning) on the left,
and fought with great bravery. Col. Smith
fell wounded, and the regiment lost Sc
verely. As soon % the engagement bad
fairly begun, l closed up ny line TO the
left, keeping my administers, and ono Sec
ton of the battery at work on the right
until nearly two O'Clock, when the enemy
ceased firing and drew back. soon dis
covered that the enemy were preparing for
q general attack, and changed front to the
right, covering my men behind . rail fence,
ofrcing the enemy to cross an open field to
reach me.
formed my line, and opened Ere with
one Section of my Battery /; the other four
pieces having left the field for want Of am
%unition. The enemy answered with 8 piec-
es Of artillery, and advanced ON my right,
left, and front. Lbrought up my skirmish-
ers and placed them on my left, and held
tho position for more than two hours, with
at least 5000 infantry and IL pieces Of ar.
III Rsuyluk UPUu U0 ~ 0uVAs tOukCs
My section Of the Battery left the field
early, having exhausted all of their ammu-
Near the last Of the engagement 8 riaed
from a German Battery we're sent to
me, and took position on my left, which,
after firing three or four rounds, were COM
PEELED to retire from the field, being aanked
by a Regiment Of the enemy. l then ceas-
firing to discover the position of the on
forces on my right, when they imme-
advanced to within so feet of my
line, when | ordered my men to FIRE, which
did 50 effectively that the ensmv 6ed
along the whole line in confusion. Fresh
Regiments Immediately filed their places,
Finding that the enemy was ~out6anking
on the right, and that my forces we're
to extend my lines, l sent for
endorsements, aud obtained 5 companies
81 the 9Th Indiana Infantry, which l placed
On my right. The firing became more ter
rife 1.-THE enemy having placed a battery on
my left that en6laded my line) the ammu-
of the 4th Iowa beginning to fail,
and the 35th Illinois being forced to give
I ordered Lieut.. Col. Chandler, Of the
35th Illinois, to rally bis men, which he
did with great gallantry, driving the enemy
hack a abort distance On nv lefe: Rue he
vas soon surrounded and taken nrisoner.
40 of his men. noticed AT this time
hat the Second Brigade. which vas IN INV
had ceosed 6r;no. sent INV Aa;n,.n,
10 ascertain the can,e. He informed me-
that they had been Obliged to retire, and
that the enemy we're then in force in my
rear.
A. this tim. thu ammunition ~ III. A,h
was nearlv oone ana I oraerad th.m
10 fall back. which thew did IA snlendid or.
aer in linz If ha.tle. The enomv rrr,;no
With their batteries, and vbole
Force. | halted and turned on them. and
nv last ammun;tion nonred an hot .
aro into their ranks nat the, asd in conf,.
sion. l then took position IN IN. ..s~ S.la
in my rear, to the right. The Division at
this time having been strongly reinforced,
Gen. Curtis ordered the 4th Iowa to 6x bay
onets and charge-though they were with.
nut ammunition, They did so, and moved
across the field, the enemy retiring.
Gen. Curtis then ordered Us to halt, it be-
ing dark.
The brigade was here ordered back to
to replenish their ammunition and
clean their guns. At IL o'clock that night
took u new position on the left of the
road. At sunrise the LIST Iowa Battery was
pat in position and opened Ere on the enc
.y's Batteries, which were planted on the
point near the hotel. The FIRE was effect.
i've and very hot. The Battery had to re-
tire in about an hour, having spent all its
uuit,ou. was then ordered to the
right, and took that position, advancing
the entire line steadily, until the enc