The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-03-22
ThAlGreat Rattle Of Pea Ridge.

Thel0 Great Battle Of Pea Ridge.
The St. Louis Democrat has . long and inter.
esting account Of this great battle in Arkansas,
differing considerably from the one We printed
Yesterday from the Cincinnati Times. We give
a part Of it below:
sIGEL WITH HIS REAR GUARD CUTS HIS WAY
THROUGH THE ENEMY
Early Thursday morning Sigel's division was
moving from Camp Cooper, beyond Bentonville
for Sugar Greek. His rear guard composed OF
the Twelfth Missouri infantry, Captain jerks
battalion of cavalry, attached to the Thirty
s;th illinois, two companies Benton Hussars,
and six pieces of flying artillery, (Alberts
battery left camp at six A. N. The main col.
umn marched through Bentonville without
observing any indications of the enemy. Gen.
Sigel and staff, together withe the rear guard,
arrived at Bentonville in an hour and half.
While resting here, black line was observed
on the prairie towards the south, which at first
attracted no particular attention: Sigel, with
his glass soon became convinced that the line
was in motion. Soon secesh flags were seen
moving on Bentonville, and the prairie became
black with the rebel masses of cavalry ana
infantry. The rebel cavalry moved up rapidly
and deploying to the right and left, surrounded
the town. Clouds of cavalry were still observ-
ed advancing at rapid speed.
Sigel moved forward the rear guard across
ravine on the margin Of the town, and the
opposite side of the ravine was occupied by the
rebels, who came rushing up with "a yell
Noticing that they had formed on his rear, he
detached four companies of cavalry to hold
them in check. Opening his lines right aud
left he sent his artillery to the front, to meet
force drawn up in line of battle a mile out OF
town.
Turning to Captain jerks, who had come
forward to support the battery, Sigel said
"Captain, the enemy are on our front, on either
side of us, and all around u.s." Then raising
his hand to level with his shoulder, and
lunging it down with each sentence. exclaimed,
awe must advance; we must cut our way
through and concluding emphatically, 6 zoe
shall cut our way through" Sigel then got of
his horse, snd personally superintendent the
planting of pieces in position. He opened fire
on the enemy in front, every shot having q
telling effect on the enemy's ranks, which fall
tered and fell back in the woods. A rapid ad.
vance of our column then took place, the enemy
seeming to retreat on either side, but instead
they made detolr and formed again two miles
further on at the entrance Of a deep gorge
were supported by large body of infantry,
whose advance preceded our arrival by taking
q shorter road The infantry were placed in
ambuscade covered by the crest of hill Our
troops pushed forward into the gorge along
which the road runs, when suddenly CALLING
fire of musketry was poured in along our whole
line, from the top Of the hill along our left
flank The Twelfth Missouri charged up the
hill in face of The fire, and drove the rebels
over the hill
During the charge, Sigel ordered two pieces
forward about mile to point where he could
see the hill where the rebels supposed they
were under cover. The guns were masked by
grove and were not observed by the rebels.
As soon as this battery was planted, two can
non shots were fired from the head of the col
umn in the valley, producing no effect but de-
ceiving the enemy A rapid advance of the
whole column was then made, and as we reced-
ed from the enemy the latter covered the hill
in large numbers, advancing on our rear The
masked battery in front then opened on them,
the balls passing over our column still in the
gorge, which caused such destruction to the
rebels that they they scattered in all directions
and ceased to modest us any farther.
THE GRAND BATTLE OF THE EIGHTH.
The enemy during the night advanced and
took position one mile nearer our camp, occu-
plying the extensive bluff to the left of Elkhorn
Tavern, where they had batteries planted which
commanded the open fields and bottom lands on
this side. The open woods, mile this side of
the town, was also occupied by the enemy in
formidable numbers. They had batteries point
ed in all available positions commanding the
approaches fiOm this side. General Curtis de-
signed to open the ball at day.break, ard gave
the necessary orders for change Of front, the
left wing having to be moved obliquely forward
The cannonade opened twenty five minutes
past seven, on Col. Carr's division, and the por-
ton of the latter engaged fell back. Gen. Da-
Wis advanced on the main road and took posi-.
ton on the right wing, while Col Carr moved to
the center, and desultory fire was kept up for
short time. About eight o'clock Gen. Sigel's
division marched into the open field and took
position on the lett wing. His batteries were
planted along the elevations in this portion of
the field, with alternate regiments OF infantry.
The line as now formed was coneaye with the
wings advanced toward the enemy, while seven
batteries were planted along its whole length
No more beautiful spectacle could be conceived
than the "magnfcently stern array" presented
by onr line of battle. The utmost confidence
was ut once restored, and our men felt reas
sured that victory was in their reach, The
were covered with the secesh as thick as they
could stand, while the intervening woods in front
of our center was alive with them Our bat.
teries were soon opened all along the line.
and perfect wall of fire bIazed out in rolling
volumes. The enemy replied promptly with his
batteries, with little effect, except disabling one
of SigePs guns. The murdGrous cross fire of
our batteries crashed through the timber with
terrific effect. The cannonade was terrible for
two hours and half, during which time the
infantry advanced slowly under cover of our fire
from the batteries. As soon as the enemy broke
the infantry advanced with yell in double quick.
sending volley upon vo.ley of well-aimed mus.
kerry. The Twelfth Missouri rushed forward
and charged on battery in the heavy timber,
capturing three guns and flag belonging to the
Dallas Artillery. The Twenty-Second Indiana
also captured gun and two caissons. At this
time Gen. Sigel pushed the enemy's right flank,
while Gen. Davis and Col. Carr drove forward
his left flank The fight became general, and
the ravine near the Elkhorn Tavern was throng-
ed with the flying enemy. The bluffs on the
left forming natural fertilization, where they
had several regiments and battery posted
were stormed by Col. GreusePs brigade The
precipice here is seventy.ive feet high The
Twelfth, Fifteenth and Seventeenth Missouri
and Thirty.sixth Illinois scaled the hill and
uToSe tue cuemy Out, VIC DIlbdue losing Only
eight men killed and twenty-five wounded The
top of the bluff was completely covered with
their dead and wounded from our spherical
case shot and shells. The arms and accoutre-
ments were scattered in all directions. A pris-
oner taken here stated that Van Dorm had not
been seen for two hours, and they thought it
time to leave. The victory was complete The
retreating enemy were pursued for two miles by
company D, Of Bowman's battalion, and the
pursuit was kept up by the Benton Huzzars and
Gen. Sigel to Keetsville. Prisoners, including
officers, we're taken in large numbers Our loss
in the battle was comparatively SMALL but the
enemy's was terribly severe. We killed General
Slack, and young Clark, son of Merriweather
Clark. of st. Louis, who had his head taken off
by cannon ball. He commanded a battery
calamity, and had just given the order to re.
treat, when a ball struck him on his horse
Lieut. Col. McCulloch, son Of the General, was
also found among the dead with his commission
in his pocket, near Elkhorn Tavern
Gen. Curtis has won a victory that should
place his name in the front rank of heroes bat
Ting for the national cause. From his position
in the field he observed every movement. and
gave his orders with admirable GOODNESS and de-
cision. His Aids, Capts Mckinney, Stark.
Aughfelt, Stitt, and Lieuts. Adams and Hoepner.